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CAFT.   H.  KIRBV  SMITH 

1807-1847 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

LETTERS  OF  CAPTAIN  E.  KIRBY  SMITH 
TO  HIS  WIFE 


PREPARED  FOR  THE  PRESS 
BY  HIS  DAUGHTER 

EMMA  JEROME  BLACKWOOD 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

R.   M.  JOHNSTON,  A.M. 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  OF  MODERN  HISTORY 
HARVARD  UNIVERSITY 


CAMBRIDGE 
HARVARD  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

LONDON:  HUMPHREY  MILFORD 

OXFORD  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

1917 


COPYRIGHT,  1917 
HARVARD  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 


492823 


INTRODUCTION' 

A  BRAVE  soldier,  ready  to  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  country,  should  require  but  little  introduc 
tion.  A  man  of  that  stamp  is  known  at  sight,  is 
promptly  recognized  by  those  among  us  whose  hearts 
still  warm  at  the  record  of  suffering  endured  patiently, 
of  duty  and  discipline  enforced  at  all  hazards,  of  death 
foreseen  and  encountered  without  flinching.  He  re 
quires  no  panegyric,  no  praise;  merely  a  statement  of 
what  he  did,  and  where  and  when.  These  letters  of 
Ephraim  Kirby  Smith  to  his  wife  tell  plainly  what 
sort  of  man  wrote  them.  The  addition  of  only  a  few 
details,  of  a  fact  or  two  to  make  the  setting  clearer, 
is  all  the  reader  will  require  by  way  of  introduction. 

He  was  born  on  the  iyth  of  June,  1807,  at  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  the  home  of  his  father  and  grandfather 
before  him.  They  were  all  soldiers,  all  in  the  Regular 
service,  all  in  due  course  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Captain.  The  maternal  grandfather,  Ephraim  Kirby, 
fought  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  thereafter  through  the  War 
of  Independence  to  its  close.  The  father,  Joseph  Lee 
Smith,  fought  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  won  special 

1  The  text  of  Captain  Kirby  Smith's  letters  has  been  prepared  for 
publication  by  members  of  his  family.  Omissions  have  been  made; 
and  these  are  indicated  typographically. 


4  INTRODUCTION 

distinction  at  the  battle  of  Lundy 's  lane ;  he  eventually 
rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel.  His  son  was  destined  to 
pay  the  battle  toll  for  all  three,  losing  his  life  in  the 
glorious  fight  at  Molino  del  Rey  under  Scott.1 

Kirby  Smith's  career  in  the  army  was  wholly  un 
eventful  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Mexican  War.  And 
it  is  on  the  28th  of  August,  1845,  "  J4  miles  from 
Cincinnati/'  proceeding  with  his  company  of  the 
Fifth  Infantry  to  the  border,  that  his  letters  to  his 
wife  take  on  added  interest  from  the  war  conditions. 
Observant,  humane,  touched  by  strange  scenery  and 
customs,  with  some  gift  of  description  and  an  all- 
pervading  honesty,  he  visibly  strove  to  give  her  a 
faithful  rendering  of  all  he  saw  and  felt  during  the 
momentous  experiences  that  now  opened  before  him. 
The  strange  scenery  and  gorgeous  vegetation  of 
Mexico,  he  tried  to  convey  to  her;  and  ranged  in  his 
topics  from  noting  the  delicate  tint  of  a  meadow 
flower  to  criticizing  the  far  from  delicate  methods  of 
the  American  Government  in  handling  an  interna 
tional  question. 

On  the  march  from  Jalapa  to  Puebla,  he  notes: 
"  The  sun  unobscured  by  a  cloud  rose  above  the  hori 
zon,  apparently  far  below  us,  his  first  rays  lighting  the 
peak  of  Orizaba  and  showing  us  far  in  the  distance 
the  shining  spires  and  domes  of  the  beautiful  city  of 

1  His  brother  Edmund,  who  also  fought  through  the  Mexican 
campaign,  was  the  well-known  Confederate  general. 


INTRODUCTION  5 

Jalapa.  The  clouds  in  many  colored,  gorgeous  piles 
were  resting  on  the  summit  of  the  mountains,  while 
the  soft  mists  were  lying  in  the  laps  of  the  hills  below, 
the  cultivated  valleys  showing  all  their  beauties  be 
tween,  while  here  and  there  a  bold  precipice  or  ragged 
peak  gave  sublimity  to  the  scene  which  was  beautiful 
exceedingly.  ...  I  know  not  whether  I  am  more 
susceptible  to  the  effects  of  fine  scenery  than  others, 
but  this,  which  was  by  far  the  most  glorious  picture  of 
nature  I  have  ever  beheld,  completely  overcame  me, 
and  I  dropped  on  the  earth  to  breathe  a  prayer  and 
a  thanksgiving  to  a  good  God  who  had  made  such  a 
glorious  world." 

It  was  not  often  that  Captain  Kirby  Smith  could 
find  in  Mexico  conditions  of  such  unalloyed  beauty  as 
to  provoke  this  profound  religious  emotion.  Indeed, 
this  is  the  only  passage  in  these  letters,  in  which  the 
deepest,  most  sacred  chord  of  his  being  is  revealed 
vibrating.  At  such  a  moment  as  that  when  he  saw  the 
sun  from  behind  Jalapa  striking  Orizaba  with  its  rays, 
the  tierra  templada  might  seem  an  earthly  paradise; 
but  other  moments,  far  more  numerous,  quickly 
followed,  in  which  the  perfection  of  nature  was 
sharply  offset  by  the  imperfection  of  man.  Mexicans 
black-blooded  or  Spanish,  Indians  pure  or  half-breed, 
even  —  with  shame  be  it  said  —  American  volunteer 
troops,  might  all  of  them,  in  their  times  and  places, 
make  Eden  itself  hideous. 


6  INTRODUCTION 

The  primitive  ways  of  the  native  Mexicans,  not 
greatly  changed  even  at  this  day,  sometimes  resulted 
in  merely  amusing  scenes;  as,  for  instance,  when  the 
Fifth  Infantry  camped  along  the  Rio  Grande  opposite 
the  town  of  Matamoros:  "  In  the  afternoon  the  habits 
of  these  people  were  curiously  displayed.  Young 
women  came  down  to  the  river  side,  disrobed  without 
any  hesitation,  and  plunged  into  the  stream,  regard 
less  of  the  numerous  spectators  on  either  bank.  Some 
of  our  young  officers  were  in  the  water  opposite  them 
and  soon  swam  towards  them.  The  Mexican  guards 
were  not,  however,  disposed  to  let  them  come  much 
nearer  than  the  middle  of  the  river,  so  they  returned 
after  kissing  their  hands  to  the  tawny  damsels,  - 
which  was  laughingly  returned."  Nausicaa  and  her 
maidens,  all  but  the  color  of  their  skins ! 

A  note  less  gay  is  struck  when,  one  night  at  Puebla, 
he  "  was  attracted  by  the  sound  of  music  accompanied 
by  a  strange  kind  of  wailing  which  issued  from  the 
open  door  of  rather  an  inferior  house.  I  rode  up  to  it 
and  was  much  struck  by  the  strange  scene.  The 
room  was  in  a  blaze  of  light  from  many  candles.  In 
its  centre  was  a  bier  on  which  was  extended  the  corpse 
of  a  girl  apparently  about  seventeen,  dressed  in  all  the 
finery  the  family  possessed,  with  flowers  in  her  bosom, 
hair,  and  hands,  and  surrounded  by  gilded  ornaments, 
probably  borrowed  from  the  churches.  In  one  corner 
of  the  room  was  a  group  of  old  women,  perfect  hags, 


INTRODUCTION  7 

squatted  round  a  furnace  where  a  feast  was  cooking. 
They  looked  like  so  many  witches  round  a  cauldron. 
In  the  opposite  corner  was  a  display  of  liquors  and 
drinking  cups,  which  the  appearance  of  the  inmates 
proved  had  not  been  suffered  to  stand  idle.  Imme 
diately  round  the  corpse  were  several  couples  dancing 
a  fandango  to  the  merry  fiddle,  while  ever  and  anon 
the  witches  round  the  cauldron,  with  their  shrill, 
cracked  voices,  howled  a  chant  in  the  Indian-Tlasculan 
language." 

Frequently  the  volunteers  are  referred  to  in  these 
pages,  never  with  commendation,  always  with  an 
undercurrent  of  contempt,  too  frequently  with  plain 
horror.  With  officers  not  competent  even  to  maintain 
discipline,  let  alone  handling  their  men  in  action,  they 
made  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes  an  emblem  of  pillage, 
destruction,  and  outrage.  They  were  "  dreaded  like 
death  in  every  village  in  Mexico."  They  "  fled  in 
every  action  in  which  they  have  been  engaged."  At 
Monterey,  volunteer  regiments  bolted.  At  Buena 
Vista,  it  was  only  the  Mexican  turning  movement  that 
swept  many  of  them  back  to  their  stations.  General 
Pillow  begged  for  a  single  company  of  regulars  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  to  prevent  a  whole  brigade  of  volunteers 
from  stampeding. 

It  was  with  some  gratification,  then,  that  Captain 
Kirby  Smith  found  himself,  at  the  opening  of  opera 
tions,  one  of  a  little  force  exclusively  regulars,  under 


8  INTRODUCTION 

the  command  of  General  Taylor.  He  reached  the 
camp,  at  Corpus  Christi,  on  the  8th  of  September, 
1845,  and  records  with  evident  satisfaction  that  the 
little  army,  about  3,000  men,  was  the  largest  regular 
force  assembled  by  the  United  States  since  the  War  of 
Independence. 

Under  Taylor,  Kirby  Smith  fought  at  Palo  Alto 
and  Resaca  de  la  Palma;  but  before  Buena  Vista  he 
went  home  on  leave  owing  to  the  death  of  his  father. 
On  rejoining,  two  months  later,  he  proceeded  south  to 
take  part  in  Scott's  expedition  to  Vera  Cruz  and 
Mexico  City.  Of  Palo  Alto  he  gives  an  extended  and 
good  description;  and  his  account  of  the  scene  at  the 
close  is,  indeed,  quite  vivid.  "  The  cannonade  con 
tinued  until  night  closed  in  when  the  spectacle  was 
magnificent.  The  prairie  was  burning  brilliantly 
between  the  two  armies  and  some  twenty  pieces  of 
artillery  thundering  from  right  to  left;  while  through 
the  lurid  scene  was  heard  the  tramping  of  horses  and 
the  wild  cheering  of  the  men." 

Transferred  to  Scott's  command,  he  took  part  in  all 
the  operations  from  the  landing  at  Vera  Cruz  to  the 
battle  of  Churubusco  under  the  walls  of  Mexico. 
Cerro  Gordo  was  the  only  important  action  he  missed. 
Steadily  and  well  he  did  his  duty,  being  transferred  to 
a  Light  Infantry  battalion  under  C.  F.  Smith.  He 
fought  well  at  Contreras;  and  at  Churubusco,  his 
coolness  and  courage  did  much  to  stiffen  the  American 


INTRODUCTION  9 

line  at  a  very  critical  moment.  But  we  must  leave  the 
reader  to  find  out  how,  by  referring  to  his  own  charac 
teristically  modest  yet  clear  account  of  the  matter. 
For  this  and  other  services,  he  knew  that  reward  was 
due;  and  he  wrongly  believed  that  the  coveted  brevet 
was  not  coming  to  him  for,  as  a  fact,  two  promotions, 
to  major  and  to  lieutenant-colonel,  were  awarded  him, 
though  too  late  to  reach  him.  It  is  not  without  a 
touch  of  envy  that  he  alludes  to  the  brilliant  courage 
of  Chaplain  McCarty  under  fire  and  declares  that 
surely  he  must  be  promoted  Brevet  Bishop! 

On  the  8th  of  September,  at  Molino  del  Rey,  he 
was  acting  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Light  Infantry 
battalion.  And  there,  as  he  mounted  the  enemy's 
works,  he  was  shot  in  the  face.  He  never  recovered 
consciousness,  and  died  three  days  later.  His  last 
words,  written  to  his  wife  a  few  hours  before  the 
battle,  were:  "  I  am  thankful  that  you  do  not  know 
the  peril  we  are  in.  Goodnight!" 

One  more  word  may  be  added,  suggested  by  the 
events  now  passing  in  Mexico.  From  the  day  that 
Kirby  Smith  fell  to  the  present,  Mexico  has  not 
changed  much  nor  yet  the  United  States.  The  prob 
lems  of  those  days  are  much  the  same  as  the  problems 
of  these.  The  men  have  changed  and  the  scale,  but 
not  the  methods,  on  either  side  of  the  border.  Kirby 
Smith's  observations  are  pregnant  with  lessons  for  the 
American  of  today;  and  he  saw  things  larger  than  the 


io  INTRODUCTION 

vices  and  virtues  of  the  primitive  people  among  whom 
he  went  to  conquer  and  to  die.  He  could  catch 
glimpses,  illuminating  glimpses,  of  state  policies. 
And  as  a  straightforward  soldier  his  heart  sickened 
when,  after  every  victory  won  in  despite  of  heavy 
Mexican  odds,  in  despite  of  the  organized  disorganiza 
tion  of  his  own  country,  after  every  victory  won  the 
government  at  Washington  sheepishly  strove  to  per 
suade  Santa  Anna  to  give  them  peace,  peace  with  or 
without  honor,  peace  so  long  as  it  carried  with  it  the 
coveted  Border  territory.  Their  agent  Trist,  with  a 
bag  of  three  millions  of  dollars,  weighed  more  at  head 
quarters  than  Winfield  Scott  himself. 

The  unedifying  background  —  cheap  politics,  un 
worthy,  undisciplined  mortals  on  every  side  —  serves 
to  throw  up  in  the  sharpest  of  contrasts  the  upright 
and  manly  figure  of  an  officer  who  worthily  upheld 
the  high  traditions  of  the  regular  army  of  the  United 

States. 

R.  M.  JOHNSTON. 


LETTERS  OF 
CAPTAIN  E.  KIRBY  SMITH 


LETTERS  OF 
CAPTAIN  E.  KIRBY  SMITH 

FOURTEEN  MILES  FROM  CINCINNATI, 
August  28,  1845.! 

I  WRITE  before  reaching  the  city,  as  there  I  shall 
be  entirely  occupied  in  transporting  our  baggage 
to  the  river,  a  mile  by  land  from  the  canal.  Our 
journey  has  been  exceedingly  uncomfortable,  the  heat 
more  oppressive  than  I  ever  knew  it,  and  the  mosqui 
toes  in  swarms  at  night.  Whipple  presented  himself 
this  morning  as  completely  speckled  as  a  plum  pud 
ding,  and  his  face  swelled  out  of  all  shape  from  the 
bites.  I  escaped  this  torment  by  having  a  mosquito 
bar,  which  Dr.  Wood  kindly  lent  me  from  the  hospital. 
We  have  been  detained  two  days  by  a  break  in  the 
bank  of  the  canal.  The  General  [Brooke],  Marcy,  and 
Deas  left  us  yesterday  and  rode  to  the  city  where  we 
shall  join  them  this  evening.  There  are  no  orders  for 
us  at  Cincinnati,  but  the  news  from  Texas  is  such, 
that  there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  we  must  be 
ordered  almost  immediately  to  that  field.  A  letter 
from  Lieutenant  Beaman  at  New  Orleans  states  that 
General  Paredes  with  seven  thousand  men  is  only  one 

1  Traveling  under  orders  with  his  company  for  the  front  by  Ohio 
Canal. 


14  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  General  Taylor,  who, 
if  this  be  so,  is  in  a  very  critical  situation.  General 
Gaines  has  made  a  requisition  on  the  Governor  of 
Louisiana  for  one  thousand  men  to  reenforce  General 
Taylor  if  practicable.  It  seems  to  me  seven  years  in 
stead  of  seven  days  since  we  parted,  so  tedious  and 
lonely  has  been  this  canal  route,  though,  for  the  last 
three  days,  passing  through  the  finest  country  I  have 
ever  beheld. 

P.  S.  On  board  transport  "  Plymouth  "  eleven 
o'clock  at  night. 

I  am  almost  tired  out,  have  been  on  my  feet  in  the 
hot  sun  on  the  rough  pavements  for  eight  hours,  get 
ting  my  command  embarked,  but  cannot  go  to  bed 
until  I  close  my  sheet  to  you.  On  our  arrival  at  two 
o'clock  today  we  found  an  order  for  the  battalion  to 
proceed  immediately  to  Corpus  Christi,  under  my 
command.  We  shall  probably  reach  Texas  in  about 
twelve  days.  Our  companies  are  strengthened  by 
fifty  recruits  from  the  rendezvous  here.  I  shall  have 
a  very  pretty  command  for  a  captain,  and  if  there  is 
anything  to  be  done,  I  think  I  shall  have  a  chance. 

NEW  ORLEANS, 
September  9,  1845. 

We  left  Cincinnati  on  the  twenty-ninth  ultimo, 
having  been  strengthened  by  fifty  recruits  from  the 
depot  at  Newport.  We  were  exceedingly  fortunate 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  15 

in  getting  down  the  river  (Ohio)  without  accident, 
the  water  being  very  low;  reached  Cairo  Monday 
afternoon  the  first,  and  were  there  employed  until 
three  o'clock  Tuesday  morning  in  unloading  and  re 
loading  a  large  down-river  boat  "  Metamora  "  with 
our  baggage.  Finally,  after  a  most  dreadful  night  of 
heat,  stench,  and  confusion,  we  were  prepared  to  com 
mence  our  voyage.  We  parted  with  General  Brooke 
at  this  point.  Poor  old  man !  he  was  sad  enough. 
We  gave  him  three  hearty  cheers  as  his  boat  parted 
from  ours.  He  waved  his  cap  in  farewell,  but  seemed 
unable  to  speak,  and  turned  immediately  into  his  state 
room. 

The  Lower  Mississippi  retains  very  much  the  char 
acter  of  the  Upper;  the  water  is,  however,  muddy, 
and  the  banks  below  Natchez  leveed  and  thickly 
sprinkled  with  plantations.  As  you  approach  New 
Orleans  they  are  continuous.  We  could  see  the  tops 
of  the  sugar  cane  waving  in  the  breeze  for  many  miles. 
We  arrived  at  the  city  about  three  o'clock  on  the 
seventh,  an  intensely  hot  day. 

Marcy,1  the  acting  Assistant  Quarter-Master,  was 
quite  sick,  threatened  with  fever,  and  could  not  go  on 
shore,  so  I  was  compelled  to  do  his  duty  besides  my 
own.  However,  in  two  hours  I  had  completed  my 
business  with  the  Department  Quarter-Master  General 
and  came  down  to  the  barracks  three  miles  below  the 
1  Randolph  B.  Marcy,  Fifth  Infantry. 


1 6  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

town,  and  we  were  landed  and  in  quarters  by  eight  in 
the  evening.  This  post  is  by  far  the  most  beautiful 
I  have  ever  seen.  The  quarters  are  fine  and  airy,  com 
pletely  protected  from  the  sun  by  beautiful  tropical 
shade  trees,  with  extensive  yards  and  gardens  about 
them,  and  a  large  shaded  parade  ground  clothed  with 
a  rich  greensward. 

I  have  arranged  my  transportation,  and  we  shall 
leave  in  the  steamship  "Alabama"  for  Corpus  Christi, 
tomorrow  morning. 

Corpus  Christi  is  represented  by  every  one  as  the 
most  delightful  spot  on  the  globe,  cool,  healthy,  no 
insects,  not  a  mosquito,  an  abundance  of  oysters, 
fish,  and  venison,  but  unfortunately  no  wood  to  cook 
with.  We  shall,  barring  accident,  or  Mexican  priva 
teers,  reach  there  by  the  fourteenth.  General  Taylor 
has  now  in  his  camp  near  three  thousand  regular 
troops,  and  a  considerable  body  of  volunteers.  He 
will  soon  have  five  thousand  regulars  and  will,  it  is 
thought,  be  amply  strong  for  any  force  the  Mexicans 
can  send  against  him.  We  leave  most  of  our  baggage 
here,  going  into  the  field  light  and  ready  for  active 
service.  Mrs.  Kelly  (wife  of  a  soldier)  is  cooking  and 
washing  for  Rossell  and  myself,  and  we  expect  to 
get  on  with  great  economy.  No  sickness  in  New 
Orleans,  not  a  case  of  yellow  fever.  My  own  health 
was  never  better.  I  have  gained  every  hour  since  I 
started. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  17 

CORPUS  CHRISTI,  TEXAS  (OR  MEXICO), 

ARMY  or  OCCUPATION, 

September  18,  1845. 

I  wrote  you  at  New  Orleans  that  we  should  reach 
Aransas  on  the  fourteenth  —  we  were  there  on  the 
morning  of  the  thirteenth,  having  had  a  most  delight 
ful  run  of  only  sixty  hours  from  the  city.  The  first 
night  we  were  on  the  Gulf  I  was  informed  that  Mrs. 
Roth  (a  camp  woman  of  my  company)  was  sick.  Poor 
thing  !  I  gave  her  my  stateroom,  and  by  morning 
she  was  delivered  of  a  son.  This  was  the  second  birth 
on  the  route.  The  mothers  are  now  both  well,  and 
doing  their  regular  washing  for  the  men.  .  .  .  The 
"  Alabama,"  in  which  we  crossed  the  Gulf,  is  a  large 
steamship  of  too  much  draught  to  enter  the  Bay,  and 
we  were  compelled  to  disembark  on  steam  lighters  in 
the  open  roadstead,  where  there  is  always  a  heavy  sea, 
a  dangerous  and  disagreeable  duty.  Thompson  lost 
his  tents  in  its  performance;  the  tierce  containing 
them  being  washed  overboard,  a  most  serious  loss, 
depriving  his  company  of  the  only  shelter  his  men  and 
women  have,  compelling  the  rest  to  divide  with  him 
and  crowding  all. 

On  the  next  day  we  were  all  prepared  on  two  small 
steamboats  and  got  under  way  for  this  point  about 
thirty  miles  from  St.  Joseph's  Island.  On  the  route  we 
passed  the  wreck  of  the  "  Dayton,"  a  boat  which  was 
blown  up  on  the  thirteenth.  The  explosion  instantly 


1 8  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

killed  two  officers,  Lieutenants  Higgins  and  Berry,  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry,  a  sergeant,  and  five  men.  Some 
others  have  since  died  of  their  wounds.  Captain 
Grossman  and  Lieutenant  Gordon  were  thrown  some 
fifty  or  sixty  yards  from  the  boat,  but,  incredible  as  it 
may  appear,  were  not  seriously  injured.  The  melan 
choly  of  this  terrible  accident  was  much  heightened 
by  the  fact  that  Lieutenant  Higgins  had  been  mar 
ried,  but  a  few  days  before  being  ordered  here,  to 
the  daughter  of  Captain  Morrison  of  the  Third 
Infantry. 

At  night,  the  fourteenth,  during  a  violent  thunder 
storm,  we  cast  anchor  opposite  to  the  camp  fires  of  the 
Army  of  Occupation.  They  extended  along  the  beach, 
apparently  for  more  than  a  mile,  on  the  south  of  the 
Nueces  River,  consequently  in  the  disputed  territory. 
Amid  the  gloom  and  rain  I  stumbled  along  the  shore, 
seeking  for  headquarters  to  make  my  report,  greeted 
frequently,  as  I  passed  the  camp,  by  cordial  welcomes 
from  the  well-known  voices  of  old  companions,  whom 
I  had  not  met  for  years.  In  the  morning  we  landed 
and  commenced  our  encampment,  a  most  arduous 
undertaking,  having  to  cut  off  a  dense  thicket  which 
covered  the  whole  ground  infested  with  rattle  snakes 
and  insects.  By  night  we  were  all  in  our  c°nvas 
houses,  though  there  were  frequent  snake  alarms  dur 
ing  the  whole  night.  The  climate  here  is  perfectly 
delicious  and  healthy;  no  possibility  of  sickness,  and 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  19 

so  cool  from  the  trade  wind,  which  blows  steadily,  that 
our  cloth  clothing  is  very  comfortable.  All  prospect 
of  meeting  with  the  Mexican  forces  has  vanished,  and 
the  supposition  now  is  that  we  shall  remain  in  this 
neighborhood,  perhaps  march  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
until  all  difficulty  is  settled  by  negotiation  between 
the  two  governments. 

There  is  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  camp, 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  our  position,  a 
settlement  called  a  ranch.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  Mexican 
trading  place.  There  are  some  dozen  houses,  most  of 
them  stores.  Here  the  Mexicans  from  Matamoras 
and  other  places  come  constantly.  They  more  re 
semble  negroes  than  whites.  I  have  as  yet  hardly  had 
time  to  observe  anything.  I  haven't  even  been  on  the 
hill  back  of  us,  but  understand  that  the  country  is  one 
vast  prairie  covered  with  droves  of  mustangs.  We 
have  fine  fish  in  abundance,  but  in  every  other  par 
ticular  depend  upon  the  commissary,  "  pork  and 
beans  being  the  chief  of  our  diet." 

I  wish  you  could  take  a  look  at  us.  On  the  right  are 
the  Second  Dragoons,  on  the  left  a  corps  of  artillery 
volunteers  from  New  Orleans.  The  camp  covers  the 
ground  for  more  than  a  mile,  as  near  in  a  line  as  the 
shore  will  permit,  and  when  the  residue  of  the  troops 
ordered  here  have  arrived  will  be  the  largest  body  of 
regulars,  it  is  said,  which  has  been  assembled  since 
the  Revolution. 


20  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

CORPUS  CHRISTI, 
November  2,  1845. 

We  hear  nothing  here  about  our  movements,  but 
are  lying  under  our  canvas  on  the  shelly  beach  of  this 
calm  sea  in  a  perfect  state  of  monotony.  Wre  all  go 
to  bed  at  tattoo;  there  is  no  frolicking  and  no  card 
playing  that  I  know  of  in  the  camp.  I  have  almost 
forgotten  how  to  smoke,  and  certainly  shall  if  we  live 
in  this  way  long.  The  great  change  of  climate  and  the 
bad  brackish  water  we  are  compelled  to  drink  has 
made  most  of  our  regiment  (the  Fifth)  sick.  None  of 
the  cases  are,  however,  very  severe  and  all  are  now 
recovering.1  WTe  have  had  some  severe  northers  since 
I  wrote  last,  accompanied  by  rain.  They  are  terrible 
visitations  to  an  encampment,  sweeping  everything 
before  them  by  their  violence  and  with  their  icy 
breath  freezing  our  very  vitals.  I  slept  in  a  wet  bed 
two  nights,  and  only  kept  alive  by  having  a  large 
camp  kettle  of  coals  by  my  side.  As  soon  as  the  wind 
changes  to  the  south,  from  which  quarter  it  blows 
almost  constantly,  the  weather  becomes  as  warm  as 
with  you  in  midsummer.  .  .  .  General  Taylor  is 
sending  out  exploring  parties  in  various  directions. 
The  last  which  started  for  the  Rio  Grande  a  few  days 
since  was  compelled  to  return,  by  the  rains  and  floods 
which  rendered  the  streams  impassable.  An  expedi 
tion  has  gone  by  water  to  examine  the  harbor  of 

1  November  20. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  21 

Brasos  Santiago  and  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande. 
All  these  explorations  are  to  acquire  knowledge  upon 
which  to  locate  the  permanent  posts.  There  is  a  report 
here  this  morning  of  a  rupture  with  the  Comanches. 
It  is  said  that  some  of  them  have  been  killed  as  well 
as  two  citizens  near  Bexar,  and  that  the  Dragoons  are 
in  some  way  mixed  up  with  the  affair.  These  Indians 
are  a  much  more  formidable  enemy  than  the  Mexicans, 
and  if  this  report  be  true  we  may  have  a  stiff  fight  out 
of  them.  .  .  . 

December  28.  I  told  you  in  my  last  that  I  was 
going  up  the  Nueces  River.  Major  Sibley,  a  citizen, 
and  myself,  with  a  crew  of  soldiers,  left  camp  before 
light  on  Wednesday,  December  12.  We  crossed  in 
our  boat  over  Corpus  Christi  Bay  to  the  mouth  of  the 
river  about  eight  miles;  ascended  it  eighteen  miles 
and  encamped.  The  river  Nueces  very  much  resem 
bles  the  Fox  above  Lake  Winnebago,  though  there's 
an  occasional  strip  of  stunted  timber  on  the  bank, 
shutting  out  from  view  the  boundless  prairie  beyond. 
The  prairies  here  are  never  broken  by  anything  re 
sembling  the  beautiful  "  oak  openings  "  of  the  North, 
but  in  all  directions  may  be  seen  in  the  dim  distance 
clumps  of  trees  and  bushes  seldom  covering  over  a 
quarter  acre,  which  are  called  in  the  vernacular 
"  mots."  The  deer  on  these  prairies  are  innumerable, 
large  herds  of  them  to  be  seen  in  every  direction,  and 
many  persons  have  said  they  had  seen  more  than  ten 


22  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

thousand  in  one  day.  From  my  own  observation  I 
think  they  did  not  exaggerate,  for  in  one  day  while  I 
was  up  the  river,  by  no  means  in  the  best  game  coun 
try,  I  saw  more  deer  than  I  supposed  existed  in  all 
America.  We  were  joined  at  our  encampment  by 
Merrill,  who  came  riding  up  to  us  with  a  deer  hanging 
on  each  side  of  his  horse.  He  had  crossed  the  country 
to  where  we  were  about  eighteen  miles  from  Corpus 
Christi,  killing  the  deer  on  the  way.  Merrill,  the  citi 
zen,  and  I  hunted  the  next  day  while  the  Major 
ascended  the  river  in  the  boat.  The  proceeds  of  our 
hunt  were  two  more  deer  and  twelve  turkeys.  Next 
day  the  weather  being  threatening  we  returned  to 
camp  just  in  time  to  escape  a  regular  tempest.  I  was 
much  disappointed  in  the  character  of  the  country  as 
far  as  my  observation  extended.  In  this  region  the 
soil  is  sandy,  unproductive,  and  unfit  for  agriculture 
but  admirably  suited  for  grazing.  The  short  sweet 
muskeet  grass  is  good  the  whole  year,  making  as  fine 
beef  as  does  grain,  the  cattle  always  keeping  fat  upon 
it.  The  water  in  the  streams  is  soft  and  wholesome. 
It  was  a  real  treat  to  us,  a  regular  cold  water  spree 
after  the  brackish,  filthy  water  we  had  been  drinking 
on  the  coast. 

DEPARTMENT  TAMANLIPAS,  TEXAS, 
FILISOLAS  WELLS, 

March  17,  1846. 

We,  the  Second  Brigade,  left  Corpus  Christi  at 
eight  in  the  morning  on  the  tenth.    We  parted  with 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  23 

our  old  camping  ground  without  regret,  and  cheerfully 
commenced  our  march  over  the  hill.  Our  course  was 
a  little  north  of  west,  over  a  prairie  sprinkled  with 
"  mots "  (Mexican  vernacular)  of  stunted  timber, 
muskeet,  a  species  of  locust,  and  extensive  fields  of 
chaparral,  dense  thorny  thickets,  perfectly  impene 
trable.  After  marching  about  eight  miles  the  Nueces 
was  seen  on  our  right,  winding  through  the  prairie 
like  a  blue  ribbon  carelessly  thrown  on  a  green  robe. 
The  prairie  was  covered  with  flowers  such  as  bloom  at 
the  North  during  the  summer.  I  observed  in  great 
abundance  the  spiderwort,  phlox,  lupin,  fireplant 
lobelia  inflata,  primrose,  etc.,  indeed,  most  of  the 
common  flowers  of  the  Northern  prairies.  The  day 
was  hot  though  cloudy  with  a  pleasant  breeze.  Our 
weather  would  be  like  the  July  of  your  region,  were 
we  not  relieved  of  its  sultriness  by  the  tail  of  the  south 
east  trade,  which  blows  upon  us  steadily  at  this  season. 
We  made  twelve  miles  and  encamped  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Nueces  about  four  o'clock.  Among  the 
flowers  I  ought  to  mention  the  Spanish  bayonet  now 
in  full  bloom.  The  plant  towers  to  a  gigantic  size,  the 
shaft  or  body  like  the  palmetto  running  up  some  ten 
or  fifteen  feet,  from  six  to  ten  inches  in  diameter, 
crowded  with  a  cluster  of  glossy  green  bayonets  radi 
ating  in  every  direction  from  the  centre  of  which,  and 
towering  several  feet  above  all,  is  a  glorious  pyramid 
of  white  flowers  hanging  in  clusters  or  lateral  branches 


24  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

from  the  main  stem.  These  are  visible  for  many  miles 
on  the  open  prairie,  and  appear  precisely  like  ships  in 
the  distance,  or  when  near  a  mot  like  a  tall  lighthouse 
on  some  wooded  headland.  I  was  on  guard  last  eve 
ning  and  sat  up  nearly  all  night.  About  daylight  it 
began  to  rain.  We  broke  up  our  camp  at  sunrise  and 
were  en  route  by  seven.  After  marching  two  hours 
west  our  course  turned  to  the  southwest,  to  avoid 
marshes  about  the  head  waters  of  streams  emptying 
into  the  Gulf.  We  marched  for  miles  over  a  muddy 
prairie  almost  impassable  for  our  baggage  train.  I 
had  command  of  the  advance  guard  and  saw  much 
game,  deer  innumerable,  geese,  ducks,  curlew,  cranes, 
wild  turkeys,  etc.  Made  fourteen  miles  and  encamped 
at  Agua  Dulce  (sweet  water) .  It  was  a  very  fatiguing 
day  to  the  command,  and  the  baggage  train  was  not 
all  up  until  night,  though  we  were  in  camp  at  five 
o'clock.  Here  an  express  was  received  from  General 
Worth,  who  had  left  Corpus  Christi  one  day  in  ad 
vance  of  us,  stating  that  he  was  but  four  miles  away, 
and  that  we  would  have  much  difficulty  in  crossing  the 
marshes  next  day.  Our  camp  was  delightfully  situated 
on  a  gentle  slope  towards  the  water,  the  evening 
was  pleasant,  the  moon  at  full.  I  took  a  refreshing 
bath  and  felt  as  good  as  new.  Our  camp  was,  however, 
full  of  "  varmints."  From  one  hole  a  rabbit,  a  rat, 
a  rattle  snake,  and  a  tarantula  were  dislodged,  these 
animals,  incredible  as  it  may  appear,  living  in  com- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  25 

mon  in  the  same  den.  I  killed  with  my  sword,  im 
mediately  in  rear  of  my  tent,  a  huge  rattler  nearly 
six  feet  in  length.  We  proceeded  on  our  weary  march 
at  seven  in  the  morning.  It  rained  until  eleven  o'clock, 
after  which  the  weather  was  fine  and  cool.  After 
passing  the  camp  of  the  First  Brigade,  the  road  was 
good,  and  all  proceeded  smoothly.  After  marching 
eleven  miles,  we  encamped  seven  miles  from  the  depot 
on  the  San  Gertrude. 

The  country  we  passed  over  was  diversified  with 
rich  prairies,  scattered  wood,  and  chaparral  and  we 
saw  a  fine  herd  of  antelopes  and  several  droves  of 
wild  horses.  On  the  eighteenth  broke  up  our  camp 
and  marched  at  half -past  six.  The  weather  was  ex 
ceedingly  warm,  and  many  of  the  officers  and  men 
suffered  much  from  blistered  feet.  Passed  the  San 
Gertrude  and  depot  at  eleven  o'clock  and  encamped 
two  miles  beyond  on  a  beautiful  ground  with  good 
wood  and  water.  General  Taylor  and  staff  overtook 
us  at  this  place,  but  soon  pushed  on  after  the  Dragoons 
who  were  some  twenty  miles  in  advance.  We  re 
newed  the  supplies  of  provisions  and  marched  on  the 
morning  of  the  fourteenth  at  seven.  The  day  was 
oppressively  hot,  and  I  found  I  was  doomed  to  suffer 
as  I  discovered  I  was  badly  poisoned.  You  know  well 
with  what  severity  it  attacks  me  and  how  painful  it  is. 
Now  imagine  me  marching  in  the  midst  of  the  dust  of 
the  army,  toiling  on  for  miles  without  water,  under  a 


26  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

fierce  tropical  sun,  and  you  may  have  some  idea  what 
I  encountered  this  day.  But  all  things  have  an  end 
and  we  pitched  our  tents  at  last  near  an  extensive 
growth  of  stunted  timber,  live  oaks,  acacia  in  full 
bloom,  and  muskeet. 

The  place  is  called  by  the  Mexicans  San  Fernando. 
I  took  a  bath  and  sat  down  to  encounter  my  torments 
in  sulky  silence.  This  afternoon  Mason  caught  a 
young  antelope.  How  beautiful  he  was  !  His  large, 
mild  eye  was  fixed  upon  us  with  the  most  beseeching 
expression.  I  pleaded  for  him  and  Mason  had  him 
restored  to  liberty  near  where  he  was  taken.  The 
weary  afternoon  wore  away  and  I  went  to  my  blanket, 
but  not  to  sleep.  It  seemed  to  me  an  eternity  to 
reveille,  but  it  and  "  the  general  "  finally  beat  and 
we  resumed  our  route  which  lay  over  a  barren,  sandy 
region.  The  day  was  hot,  the  poison  much  worse,  my 
forehead,  chin,  wrists,  and  breasts  being  ulcerated 
and  much  swollen.  We  reached  our  camping  ground 
about  two,  but  marched  and  counter-marched  in  the 
burning  sun  for  more  than  an  hour  before  the  Colonel 
had  sufficiently  collected  his  ideas  to  suffer  us  to  pitch 
our  tents.  Several  peccaries  were  killed  near  the 
camp  and  large  droves  of  them  seen.  They  are  a  fierce 
animal  and  bear  about  the  same  resemblance  to  a  hog 
that  the  buffalo  does  to  a  common  ox.  I  spent  another 
night  of  suffering  without  one  wink  of  sleep,  and  nearer 
dead  than  alive,  with  a  feeling  of  perfect  desperation 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  27 

I  prepared  to  head  my  company.  We  began  our  march 
at  half -past  five,  and  as  we  moved  off  Major  Stam 
ford's  servant  was  sent  to  me  with  one  of  the  Major's 
horses.  I  shall  never  cease  to  be  grateful  to  him,  as 
I  was  truly  unfit  to  march.  Our  route  today  was  over 
a  sandy  desert  and  was  very  hard  upon  the  men.  The 
ox-teams  were  not  able  to  keep  up.  We  made  a  little 
over  fifteen  miles,  and  encamped  at  a  place  called 
Filisola's  Wells.  Filisola  was  one  of  Santa  Anna's 
generals,  and  commanded  the  rear  division  at  the 
battle  of  San  Jacinto.  He  retreated  after  that  battle 
and  'tis  said  rested  his  army  some  days  at  this  place. 

An  express  came  to  us  here  from  General  Taylor 
announcing  "  The  enemy  is  on  our  front,  threatening 
to  attack  us  if  we  advance."  The  rear  brigades  were 
ordered  to  push  on  with  as  much  dispatch  as  possible 
and  join  the  advance  of  the  army.  We  were  all  much 
excited  and  forgot  our  fatigues  and  sufferings  and 
discussed  our  prospects  around  our  camp  fires.  The 
enemy  were  reported  to  be  four  thousand,  we  were  but 
three  thousand,  yet  should  we  meet  them  we  felt  the 
utmost  confidence  that  we  should  beat  them.  I  got 
some  sleep  this  night  and  rose  much  refreshed  at  two 
in  the  morning  when  our  reveille  sounded.  We  were 
off  at  four  o'clock,  I  being  still  mounted  on  the  Major's 
horse. 

We  made  this  day  a  long  march  over  a  perfect  desert, 
the  scanty  herbage  having  been  burnt  by  the  enemy. 


28  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

The  only  water  we  saw  was  salt  and  the  sun  streamed 
upon  us  like  living  fire.  We  were  all  day  enveloped  in 
clouds  of  black  sooty  dust  and  ashes,  which  adhered 
to  our  beards  and  skins  moist  with  perspiration  mak 
ing  us  look  like  so  many  dirty  negroes,  and  when  late 
in  the  afternoon  we  halted  at  a  muddy  pool  of  brackish 
water,  our  very  wives  would  not  have  known  us  ! 
We  made  today  between  seventeen  and  eighteen  miles 
all  much  fatigued,  but  after  washing  and  getting  a  cup 
of  tea  our  cheerfulness  was  restored.  The  sixteenth 
we  started  at  seven  in  the  morning,  the  rear  of  our 
baggage  train  with  the  rear  guard  still  many  miles 
behind.  The  soil  and  country  today  rapidly  im 
proved  and  we  encamped  early  on  a  rich  prairie, 
surrounded  by  pleasant  woods.  Directly  in  front  of 
our  camp  was  a  pond  of  clear  sweet  water.  Oh  !  how 
we  did  drink  and  bathe  !  I  never  knew  before  how 
good  water  could  be  after  being  without  it  thirty-six 
hours.  We  saw  many  wild  bulls,  and  a  magnificent 
mustang  attracted  by  our  horses  ventured  up  to  the 
very  chain  of  sentinels.  He  was  glossy  black  with  fine 
muscular  proportions,  and  looked  worthy  to  bear  a 
hero  through  a  battle  charge,  as  he  stood  with  ex 
panded  nostrils  and  dilating  eye  gazing  upon  the 
strange  sight  before  him.  An  effort  was  made  to  take 
him  with  the  lasso,  but  he  distanced  our  fleetest  horses 
and  returned  again  and  again  to  gaze  upon  the  strange 
array  which  had  invaded  his  native  wilds. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  29 

I  mounted  guard  with  two  subalterns  and  eighty 
men.  The  guard  tents  being  still  in  the  rear  we 
bivouacked  in  front  of  the  camp.  On  the  nineteenth 
we  made  eleven  miles  through  a  fine  country,  no  want 
of  water  and  plenty  of  game.  We  heard  the  drums  of 
the  First  Brigade  at  tattoo  and  had  a  most  interest 
ing  dispatch  from  General  Taylor  stating  that  the 
enemy  were  in  force  at  the  crossing  of  the  Arroyo 
Colorado  seven  miles  ahead,  and  that  he  should  force 
the  ford  as  soon  as  we  came  up.  All  our  teams  reached 
us  in  the  night  and  we  started  at  seven  in  the  morning. 

At  eight  we  came  up  with  the  baggage  train  of  the 
First  Brigade  which  was  parked  and  guarded  to  await 
the  termination  of  the  expected  battle.  At  a  quarter 
past  nine  we  deployed  on  the  right  of  the  First  Brigade 
in  order  of  battle,  immediately  on  the  bank  of  the 
Arroyo  Colorado.  For  the  last  two  miles  before  we 
reached  the  river  we  met  staff  officers,  men  and  camp 
followers  riding  to  the  rear,  all  with  eager,  anxious 
faces,  all  telling  the  same  tale,  that  the  Mexicans 
were  in  force  on  the  opposite  bank.  As  we  deployed 
we  saw  a  few  Mexican  ranchereros  (militia)  and  lanc 
ers  in  the  edge  of  the  bushes  on  the  other  side.  We 
heard,  too,  from  the  staff  officers  that  the  Mexican 
Adjutant- General  and  a  Colonel  Kintaro  had  been 
with  General  Taylor  and  had  pledged  their  honor  as 
soldiers  that  they  would  fire  upon  the  first  man  of 
our  army  who  should  attempt  to  cross  the  ford,  that 


30  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

such  were  the  orders  from  General  Mejia  and  that 
they  were  supported  by  a  strong  force.  They  were 
fully  believed  as  bugles  were  sounding  the  advance  in 
various  directions  on  their  side,  and  troops  and  horse 
men  were  showing  themselves  at  many  points  on  the 
bank  as  if  parts  of  a  strong  body  deployed  in  order  of 
battle.  General  Taylor  had  replied  to  the  Mexican 
officers  that  in  fifteen  minutes  he  should  force  the 
passage  and  that  his  batteries  would  open  on  any  one 
who  should  oppose  themselves  to  it.  Then,  immedi 
ately  ordering  his  horse,  the  Mexican  officers  retired. 
This  was  perhaps  one  of  the  most  exciting  hours  of 
my  life.  All,  from  the  General-in-Chief  to  the  smallest 
drummer  boy,  felt  morally  certain  that  we  were  on  the 
verge  of  a  fierce  and  bloody  conflict,  yet  I  saw  no  one 
who  was  not  cheerful  and  apparently  eager  for  the 
game  to  begin. 

The  river  at  the  ford  is  about  eighty  yards  in  width, 
and  four  feet  in  depth.  The  banks,  I  judged,  about 
fifteen  feet  in  height,  the  crest  on  the  Mexican  side 
covered  with  wood  and  a  thick  undergrowth,  on  ours, 
an  open  field  with  a  wood  in  our  rear.  The  movement 
was  begun  at  half-past  ten,  by  four  companies  of  the 
Second  Brigade  under  the  command  of  Captain  C.  F. 
Smith,  who  by  the  right  flank  and  in  perfect  order 
marched  into  the  water.  As  they  struck  the  margin, 
General  Worth  rushed  to  the  head  of  the  column  to 
lead  the  charge.  We  watched  them  in  breathless 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  31 

silence  as  they  deepened  in  the  water  expecting  that 
at  every  step  they  would  receive  a  withering  fire. 
When  they  were  half  way  over  and  not  a  shot  fired 
the  disappointment  of  the  men  was  shown  from  right 
to  left  in  muttered  curses.  A  squadron  of  Dragoons 
followed  immediately  in  rear  of  Captain  C.  F.  Smith's 
command  and  the  entire  army  marched  over  rapidly, 
reaching  the  opposite  bank  in  thirty  minutes  from 
the  order  to  move.  As  the  head  of  the  column  reached 
the  shore,  the  men  with  cheers  formed  in  order  of 
battle,  the  music  struck  up  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  and 
we  all  marched  rapidly  up  the  hill.  A  few  Mexicans 
were  seen  retreating,  and  the  great  battle  of  Arroyo 
Colorado  was  terminated  ! 

The  Mexican  threats  were  all  gasconade  intended 
to  intimidate  General  Taylor  and  delay  our  advance 
upon  Matamoras.  We  encamped  about  three  miles 
from  the  river  to  await  the  arrival  of  our  baggage 
train  and  the  Third  Brigade  which  was  still  a  day's 
march  in  the  rear.  If  you  consider  the  tale  "  all  cry 
and  no  wool,"  I  can  only  say  it  was  interesting  to  us 
although  the  yellow  gentlemen  completely  pulled 
the  wool  over  our  eyes.  The  Third  Brigade  came  up 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  we  waited 
another  day  for  the  train  to  arrive. 

On  the  twenty-third  at  sunrise  we  broke  up  our 
camp  and  moved  in  four  columns  in  the  direction  of 
Matamoras,  twenty-eight  miles  distant.  The  day 


32  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

was  oppressively  hot,  our  march  rapid,  and  I  had  not 
been  so  much  exhausted  at  any  time  as  when  a  short 
halt  was  called  a  little  after  noon  by  the  side  of  a 
muddy  pond.  We  presented  today  an  imposing 
spectacle  as  we  moved  in  parallel  columns  across  the 
open  prairie,  with  our  long  baggage  train  close  in  our 
rear  and  our  scouts  far  in  advance  and  on  our  flanks 
examining  every  thicket.  A  thousand  rumors  were 
in  the  mouths  of  our  newsmongers,  of  forces  in  our 
front  ready  to  eat  us  without  pepper  or  salt.  We 
made  twelve  miles  and  encamped  just  before  sunset 
in  a  deep  ravine  which  in  high  water  is  one  of  the  out 
lets  of  the  Rio  Grande.  The  country  was  beautiful 
during  the  whole  day,  the  ground  clothed  with  flowers 
which  at  the  North  are  rare  exotics.  Many  varieties 
of  cactus  were  budding  and  blossoming  around  us, 
from  the  giant  prickly  pear  to  a  diminutive  little  fellow 
just  poking  his  thorny  nose  through  the  soil  crowned 
with  a  brilliant  blossom.  I  know  the  names  of  but  few 
of  this  numerous  family.  The  Turk's  head  is  perhaps 
the  most  beautiful  we  have  seen,  presenting  a  semi- 
sphere  only  above  the  ground  the  size  of  a  tolerably 
large  watermelon  while  on  the  apex  is  a  crown  of 
brilliant  feather-petalled  blossoms. 

On  the  twenty-fourth  we  moved  in  the  same  order 
as  on  the  previous  day  until  we  crossed  the  road  from 
Matamoras  to  Point  Isabel,  at  a  place  as  we  supposed 
about  nine  miles  from  the  Point  and  eighteen  from 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  33 

the  city.  Here  General  Taylor  with  the  Dragoons 
and  a  battery  of  artillery  left  us  for  Point  Isabel  where 
he  expected  to  find  our  munitions,  etc.,  with  a  few 
siege  pieces  and  mortars  expected  by  water.  General 
Worth  moved  the  three  brigades  five  miles  towards 
Matamoras  and  encamped. 

Rio  GRANDE,  OPPOSITE  MATAMORAS, 
March  29,  1846. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  we  advanced  our  camp  three 
miles  where  we  awaited  General  Taylor's  return.  He 
arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  twenty-seventh  and  on 
the  twenty-eighth  we  moved  off  in  our  usual  order 
but  soon  came  into  defiles  through  dense  chaparral 
compelling  us  to  march  in  single  column.  About 
half-past  nine  in  the  morning,  we  saw  the  first  habi 
tation  since  leaving  Corpus  Christi,  and  were  soon 
marching  between  cultivated  fields  enclosed  in  high 
hedges  cutting  off  all  view  of  the  country,  save  the 
thatched  roofs  of  the  cottages.  At  half -past  ten  we 
were  marching  upon  the  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande  im 
mediately  in  front  and  in  full  view  of  Matamoras, 
our  colors  flying  and  music  playing.  The  Mexican 
flag  was  waving  from  various  points  over  the  city, 
sentinels  posted  on  the  opposite  bank  and  a  few  men 
and  women  walking  about  carelessly.  Most  of  the 
inhabitants  have  left  this  side,  and  all  communication 
is  cut  off  as  they  have  taken  all  the  boats  over  to  their 


34  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

side.  The  authorities  appeared  very  sulky  neither 
fighting  nor  shaking  hands.  The  river  is  a  rapid 
stream  two  hundred  yards  wide,  deep,  and  enclosed 
with  perpendicular  banks  about  twenty  feet  in  height. 
After  our  camp  was  pitched  I  wandered  down  the 
bank  among  many  others  gazing  at  the  fortifications 
and  troops  of  the  Mexicans.  Their  cavalry  and  in 
fantry  were  moving  about  establishing  pickets  and 
guards  in  various  directions  along  the  bank. 

General  Worth  and  staff,  after  much  difficulty, 
induced  them  to  send  over  a  boat  to  receive  him  with 
a  flag.  He  crossed  to  their  shore  but  General  Mejia 
(pronounced  Mahea)  refused  to  receive  any  one  but 
General  Taylor.  General  Vegas,  however,  finally 
came  to  the  shore  and  told  General  Worth,  in  amount, 
that  they  considered  war  begun  by  our  invasion  and 
they  could  hold  no  intercourse  with  us. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  habits  of  these  people  were 
curiously  displayed.  Young  women  came  down  to 
the  river  side,  disrobed  without  any  hesitation,  and 
plunged  into  the  stream,  regardless  of  the  numerous 
spectators  on  either  bank.  Some  of  our  young  officers 
were  in  the  water  opposite  them  and  soon  swam 
towards  them.  The  Mexican  guards  were  not,  how 
ever,  disposed  to  let  them  come  much  nearer  than  the 
middle  of  the  river,  so  they  returned  after  kissing 
their  hands  to  the  tawny  damsels  which  was  laugh 
ingly  returned. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  35 

This  morning  we  found  the  enemy  had  been  busy 
during  the  night  erecting  breastworks  and  planting 
cannon  opposite  to  us.  What  will  be  the  result  of  all 
this  I  can  only  conjecture.  We  certainly  ought  not 
with  so  small  a  force  be  left  here  to  face  the  whole 
Mexican  nation.  General  Ampudia  with  more  than 
three  thousand  veterans  will,  it  is  said,  in  a  few  days 
reach  Matamoras.  This  is  a  sort  of  journal  written 
under  all  sorts  of  disadvantages  from  time  to  time 
when  I  have  been  tired  and  weary.  Many  incidents 
of  interest  have  been  passed  over,  they  will  be  sub 
jects  of  conversation  for  us  at  some  future  day.  .  .  . 

CAMP  NEAR  MATAMORAS, 
April  9,  1846. 

We  have  been  as  busy  as  a  light  infantry  company 
on  drill  ever  since  we  arrived  eleven  days  ago.  Such 
a  night  as  last  night  I  have  never  known  in  all  my 
soldiering.  We  were  at  tea  in  my  mess  tent  just  be 
fore  sunset  when  suddenly  one  of  our  furious  tropical 
storms  struck  us  perfectly  unexpectedly.  I  ran,  leav 
ing  my  mess  mates  laughing  at  my  haste.  In  a  moment 
more,  however,  their  tent  was  prostrated  over  their 
heads,  the  dishes,  tea,  sugar,  etc.,  with  all  the  sun 
dries  of  the  mess  chest  which  was  open,  the  lid  serving 
for  a  table,  in  one  amorphous  mass  under  a  perfect 
deluge  of  rain.  In  the  meantime,  I  had  reached  my 
tent  which  unaided  I  was  endeavoring  to  secure.  I 


36  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

had  barely  time  to  roll  my  bed  in  an  oil  cloth,  when 
the  tent  pins  on  the  windward  side  began  to  yield, 
the  rain  driving  in  upon  me  in  torrents.  Edmund  L 
at  this  moment  arrived  from  under  the  mess  tent  and 
with  the  assistance  of  a  few  men  we  managed  to 
secure  our  frail  house.  We  had  just  moved  our  camp 
into  a  corn  field  newly  ploughed,  the  soil  an  adhesive 
clay,  and  by  the  time  I  had  in  some  measure  secured 
my  baggage  —  which  old  soldierlike,  I  first  attended 
to  —  the  water  was  some  inches  deep,  or  rather  there 
was  a  soft  adhesive  mortar  bed,  about  ankle  deep, 
over  the  whole  camp.  The  rain  and  gale  were  still  at 
their  worst,  when  I  began  looking  about  to  see  "  the 
state  of  the  nation."  In  every  direction  the  tents 
were  overthrown  and  their  contents  scattered  in  the 
mud.  My  own  company  had  almost  entirely  disap 
peared,  a  few  despairing  wretches,  groping  about  in 
the  mud  for  their  arms,  were  all  that  were  left.  The 
fires  were  extinguished  and  desolation  reigned  through 
out  the  camp.  In  an  hour  or  two  the  storm  somewhat 
abated,  fires  were  rekindled  and  efforts  made  to  repair 
damages,  but  to  little  purpose.  The  arms  were  put 
in  forming  order  and  the  men  sat  or  stood  about  in 
miserable  groups,  without  any  possibility  of  sleeping, 
and  at  reveille  this  morning  our  whole  brigade  was 
marched  to  the  works,  it  being  our  detail  on  a  large 

1  His   brother,   afterwards   in   the    Civil  War  the  Confederate 
General,  Edmund  Kirby  Smith. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  37 

fortification,  which  we  are  constructing  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  .  .  .  We  are  here  neither  in  a  state  of  peace 
nor  war.  Our  pickets  and  patrols  have  exchanged 
some  shots,  and  several  deserters  have  been  killed  in 
endeavoring  to  cross  the  river.  The  Mexican  author 
ities  have  shot  or  hung  one  of  our  Dragoons  as  a 
spy.  He  was  in  truth  a  deserter  and  was  executed  in 
retaliation  for  one  of  their  soldiers,  who,  they  say, 
was  shot  by  one  of  our  patrols.  This  needs  confirma 
tion.  We  contend  with  one  annoyance  that  is  almost 
insupportable.  We  are  completely  overrun  with 
wood  ticks.  I  am  sure  I  pull  out  of  my  flesh  on  an 
average  fifty  per  day.  They  annoy  some  persons  but 
slightly,  me,  they  poison  wherever  they  bite.  My 
person  looks  as  if  I  had  the  confluent  smallpox.  Here 
is  tattoo.  .  .  . 

April  i p.  The  aspect  of  Mexican  and  Oregon  affairs 
changes  more  frequently  than  the  moon.  Perhaps 
one  of  them  depends  upon  the  other.  If  England 
and  Uncle  Sam  settle  the  Oregon  question,  Mexico 
may  be  more  readily  induced  to  treat  on  the  subject 
of  Texas;  but  if  John  Bull  and  Brother  Jonathan 
get  by  the  ears,  our  yellow  neighbors  aided  and 
sustained  by  English  guineas  will  probably  persist 
until,  as  they  boast,  their  eagles  are  planted  on  the 
Sabine.  .  .  . 

Since  I  wrote  last,  matters  have  had  a  serious  war 
like  tendency.  General  Ampudia  who  relieved  General 


38  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Mejia  in  command  at  Matamoras  has  sent  a  dispatch 
to  General  Taylor,  requiring  him  to  retreat  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  and  adding  that  his  refusal  to  do  so  would 
be  considered  a  declaration  of  war.  This,  of  course, 
was  not  acceded  to  by  General  Taylor,  who  replied 
that  he  had  been  sent  here  by  his  Government  and 
should  remain ;  that  if  Ampudia  chose  to  attack  him, 
the  consequences  must  rest  on  his  own  head  and  upon 
the  Mexican  nation.  The  next  day,  it  is  said,  a 
courier  arrived  with  orders  superseding  General  Am 
pudia,  and  placing  General  Arista  in  command  of  the 
Northern  army.  So  that  General  Ampudia  has  retired 
in  disgust. 

On  the  tenth  Colonel  Truman  Cross,  Department 
Quarter-Master  General,  left  camp  unattended,  for  a 
ride.  He  was  seen  in  the  course  of  the  morning  about 
three  miles  up  the  river,  but  has  not  since  been  heard 
from.  Every  effort  has  been  made  to  ascertain  his 
fate,  but  as  yet  we  have  not  discovered  the  slightest 
clue  to  it.  It  was  hoped  for  some  days  that  he  was  a 
prisoner  at  Matamoras,  but  we  now  know  he  is  not 
there.  He  has  undoubtedly  been  killed,  the  first  vic 
tim  of  annexation.  This  melancholy  event  has  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  whole  camp.  Lieutenant  Deas  swam 
the  river  a  few  days  since  and  is  now  a  prisoner. 

We  are  very  strongly  posted  here  though  still  in  a 
ploughed  field  and  extremely  dirty  and  uncomfortable. 
The  camp  is  very  healthy,  not  a  man  in  the  whole 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  39 

army  has  died  since  we  left  Corpus  Christi.  .  .  . 
April  22.    Colonel  Cross's  remains  have  been  found 
and  were  brought  to  camp  last  evening.     He  was 
murdered  by  banditti. 

CAMP  NEAR  MATAMORAS, 
April  28,  1846. 

Since  my  last  letter  we  have  had  busy  and  exciting 
times.  I  have  already  mentioned  that  on  the  nine 
teenth  Lieutenant  T.  Porter  with  one  private  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry  were  killed.  On  the  twenty-fifth 
Colonel  Cross's  remains  were  buried  at  the  foot  of 
our  flagstaff.  His  son  intends  removing  his  body  to 
Washington.  On  the  twenty-fourth  information  had 
been  received  from  our  spies  that  the  enemy  were 
crossing  the  river  some  miles  below  us  fifteen  hundred 
strong,  and  also  twenty-eight  miles  above  with  a 
force  of  twenty-five  hundred. 

A  squadron  of  Dragoons  was  sent  down  the  river  to 
ascertain  the  truth  of  the  report  in  that  direction,  but 
returned  next  day  finding  no  enemy.  At  the  same  time 
two  troops  under  command  of  Captain  Thornton  were 
sent  up  the  river.  They  were  composed  of  Captains 
Thornton  and  Hardee,  Lieutenants  Mason  and  Kane, 
with  fifty-two  enlisted  men,  well  mounted,  well 
equipped,  as  gallant  a  little  band  as  ever  struck  a 
blow.  On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-sixth  their 
guide,  a  Mexican,  returned  and  stated  that  he  had 
left  them  twenty  miles  above  having  learned  that  the 


40  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

enemy  were  in  force  near  them.  Shortly  after  he 
parted  from  them,  he  heard  many  volleys  of  musketry, 
and  abandoning  his  horse  he  secreted  himself  in  the 
chaparral  where  he  remained  concealed  all  day.  Two 
mounted  Mexicans  passed  his  position,  examining 
the  houses  and  the  shrubbery,  evidently  in  search  of 
him.  He  kept  quiet  until  night  when  he  came  to 
camp  as  fast  as  possible  to  make  his  report.  His  con 
clusion  was,  that  the  whole  party  were  killed  to  a  man. 
Everyone  at  first  discredited  him  entirely,  but  as  hours 
rolled  by  and  none  of  the  band  appeared  his  sad  tale 
gained  credence.  At  one  in  the  afternoon,  as  we  were 
going  to  the  trenches  to  work,  the  whole  army  work 
ing  by  six-hour  reliefs,  we  met  a  Mexican  cart  bring 
ing  in  a  wounded  Dragoon,  sent  by  the  Mexican 
General  Torrejou  from  motives  of  humanity,  with  a 
note  to  General  Taylor  stating  that  he  had  no  flying 
hospital,  and  confirming  in  part  the  report  of  the 
guide,  but  rendering  it  a  little  less  horrible  by  stating 
that  all  were  not  killed,  some  of  them  having  been 
captured,  who,  he  said,  would  receive  the  treatment 
due  to  prisoners  of  war. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  a  parley  was  sounded 
from  the  other  side,  and  a  boat  crossed  bringing  over 
another  wounded  Dragoon  and  an  official  report  from 
Captain  Hardee.  He  states  in  substance  that  in 
obedience  to  orders  Captain  Thornton  proceeded  up 
the  river  fifteen  miles  on  the  night  of  the  twenty- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  41 

fourth,  and  started  again  at  the  dawn  of  the  next  day. 
The  guide  being  convinced  that  the  Mexicans  were 
near,  in  force,  refused  to  go  any  farther,  in  which  he 
was  justifiable,  as  his  life  would  be  the  certain  forfeit 
if  he  were  taken.  Captain  Thornton  was,  however, 
unconvinced  of  the  presence  of  a  foe,  and  determined 
to  proceed.  In  a  short  time  they  came  to  a  large  farm 
with  some  houses  at  the  upper  end,  the  whole  sur 
rounded  by  a  dense  chaparral  hedge.  They  rode  into 
this  field,  single  file,  by  a  pair  of  bars  which  were  about 
two  hundred  yards  from  the  houses,  Captain  Thornton 
in  advance,  and  Captain  Hardee  in  the  rear.  The  men 
immediately  scattered  among  the  houses,  many  dis 
mounting  seeking  some  one  to  question.  No  guard 
was  left  at  the  entrance.  While  in  this  situation  the 
alarm  was  given  the  Mexicans  were  upon  them.  An 
order  to  retreat  was  promptly  given,  but  too  late. 
On  reaching  the  pass,  it  was  found  closed  and  covered 
by  a  heavy  body  of  infantry.  They  were  nearly  sur 
rounded,  the  Mexicans  firing  upon  them  from  three 
directions,  the  river  side  alone  being  open.  They, 
however,  remained  undaunted  and  rode  down  by  the 
fence  to  the  right.  At  this  time  Captain  Hardee  said 
to  Captain  Thornton,  "  Our  only  chance  is  to  tear  down 
the  fence  and  cut  our  way  to  the  rear."  Thornton 
assented,  but  his  horse,  a  noble,  powerful  roan,  became 
ungovernable  and  ran  off  with  him,  followed  by  many 
of  the  men.  The  last  that  was  seen  of  Thornton,  his 


42  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

horse  by  a  desperate  and  extraordinary  leap  was  clear 
ing  the  fence.  Captain  Hardee  immediately  rallied 
the  residue  of  the  troops  and  pushed  for  the  river,  in 
tending  to  swim  it  and  go  down  on  the  other  side. 
This  was  found  impracticable,  the  bank  being  ex 
tremely  boggy.  Hardee  then  counted  his  men  - 
twenty-five  besides  Lieutenant  Kane  and  himself, 
some  of  whom  were  wounded,  and  all  having  lost 
either  a  sabre,  a  pistol,  or  a  carbine  —  and  formed 
them  in  order  of  battle,  all  resolutely  determined  to 
sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible  if  they  could  not 
obtain  honorable  terms.  Hardee  advanced  by  himself 
and  was  met  by  a  Mexican  officer,  with  whom  favor 
able  terms  were  arranged,  and  they  at  once  laid  down 
their  arms.  When  all  the  prisoners  were  collected 
they  numbered  forty-five,  six  of  whom  were  wounded. 
Seven  of  our  men  were  killed,  and  Captain  Thorn 
ton  and  Lieutenant  Mason  were  missing,  presumed 
dead. 

The  prisoners  were  all  marched  to  Matamoras  and 
paraded  in  triumph.  The  conditions  of  the  surrender 
were  complied  with,  —  the  officers  receiving  half-pay 
and  civil  treatment  and  the  men  radons  or  twenty- 
five  cents  per  day.  This  morning  another  message 
was  received  from  Matamoras  with  letters  from 
Thornton,  alive  after  all,  in  which  he  stated  that  he 
was  finally  taken,  by  his  horse  falling  and  rendering 
him  insensible.  The  Mexican,  Colonel  Torrejou,  who 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  43 

is  a  native  of  Pensacola,  says  Thornton  most  gallantly 
cut  his  way  through  their  infantry  and  cavalry  and 
went  off  apparently  unhurt  though  closely  pursued, 
and  that  he  was  within  five  or  six  miles  of  our  camp 
when  his  roan  leaped  or  fell  over  a  precipice  leaving 
Thornton  insensible,  in  which  situation  he  was  taken 
prisoner.  Our  men,  of  course,  are  not  allowed  to 
make  any  definite  statements  concerning  the  Mexican 
force  or  losses,  their  communications  being  open  and 
passing  through  the  hands  of  the  commanding  officer. 
Thus  far  our  little  parties  have  been  most  unfortunate. 
We  hope,  however,  in  a  few  days  in  a  pitched  battle 
to  satisfy  these  gentlemen  that  it  is  necessary  for  them 
to  keep  to  their  own  side  of  the  river,  and  even  then 
we  shall  not  let  them  remain  long  unmolested.  We 
are  only  waiting  to  finish  the  fort,  so  as  to  secure  our 
position,  when  we  shall  be  at  them  let  their  num 
bers  be  what  they  may.  For  many  days  we  have  had 
constant  information  that  their  forces  were  increasing 
by  large  accessions  from  the  interior,  while  ours  have 
been  decreasing  by  numerous  discharges  and  from 
other  causes.  Unless  they  felt  they  were  strong  they 
would  not  dare  be  in  our  rear,  as  it  is  to  be  believed 
they  are.  At  all  events,  our  communication  is  almost 
if  not  entirely  cut  off  with  Point  Isabel,  to  which  place 
we  must  and  will  fight  our  way. 


44  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

POINT  ISABEL, 
May  3,  1846. 

Day  before  yesterday  we  left  our  fort  in  command 
of  Major  Brown  and  garrisoned  by  the  Seventh  In 
fantry  and  two  companies  of  artillery  with  eight 
pieces.  We  started  at  three  in  the  afternoon  and 
marched  eight  miles  through  the  chaparral  by  sunset 
and  arrived  here,  thirty  miles,  after  a  terrible  forced 
march,  before  noon  yesterday.  Before  reveille  this 
morning  we  heard  the  guns  from  our  fort  near  Mata- 
moras,  which  has  undoubtedly  been  attacked.  It  is 
now  ten  in  the  morning  and  we  still  hear  the  cannon. 
What  will  be  the  result  no  one  can  conjecture,  for  in 
truth  we  know  little  in  regard  to  the  forces  of  the 
enemy,  their  numbers  being  variously  reported  from 
five  to  fifteen  thousand.  Probably  it  does  not  exceed 
six  thousand.  We  are  to  march  from  here  at  one 
o'clock  today  to  the  rescue,  as  we  suppose,  of  our  little 
command  before  Matamoras.  We  are  about  two 
thousand  strong  and  may  be  interrupted  in  our  march. 

POINT  ISABEL, 
May  7,  1846. 

I  have  only  time  to  write  a  line  to  say  that  as  yet 
all  is  well.  We  have  heard  from  our  fort.  Captain 
Walker,  a  gallant  fellow,  commanding  a  few  Texan 
rangers,  left  there  on  the  night  of  the  fourth  and  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  here  with  dispatches  from  Major 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  45 

Brown.  At  that  time  the  enemy  had  fired  near  fifteen 
hundred  balls  and  shells  at  the  work,  without  produc 
ing  the  least  effect,  and  our  eighteen-pounders  had 
silenced  most  of  their  batteries.  The  enemy's  shot 
are  all  made  of  copper,  so  you  see  we  have  the  copper 
rage  here  as  well  as  at  the  North.  But  one  man  had 
been  killed  in  the  fort,  a  sergeant  of  the  Seventh,  by 
the  bursting  of  a  shell.  This  afternoon  we  start  back 
with  the  wagon  train,  but  it  is  thought  doubtful 
whether  the  enemy  oppose  our  march. 

BATTLE  FIELD, 

THREE  MILES  FROM  MATAMORAS, 
May  10,  1846. 

[Giving  an  account  of  the  battles  of  the  eighth  and 
ninth  named  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma.]  On 
the  seventh  we  left  Point  Isabel  and  lay  on  our  arms 
after  marching  seven  miles.  On  the  morning  of  the 
eighth  we  moved  on  steadily  and  at  a  little  before 
twelve  the  enemy  were  reported  in  force  some  miles 
in  our  advance.  We  pushed  on  and  by  two  o'clock 
deployed  in  order  of  battle,  the  Mexicans  showing 
themselves  in  line  in  much  superior  numbers.  At 
three  they  opened  their  batteries  upon  us  —  but  I 
cannot  detail  at  this  time.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  all 
behaved  gallantly,  the  Fifth  sustaining  the  only 
cavalry  charge  made  during  the  day.  Captain  John 
Page  was  mortally  wounded,  Major  Ringgold  des 
perately.  Many  slight  wounds  were  received,  and  a 


46  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

considerable  number  of  the  rank  and  file  killed.  We 
bivouacked  on  the  field,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
ninth,  after  a  council  of  war,  we  pushed  forward,  the 
enemy  showing  their  force  in  rear  of  their  original 
position.  They  retired  as  we  advanced,  and  the  entire 
battle  field  was  examined.  At  least  eighty  of  their 
dead  were  found,  besides  many  large  graves.  The 
prisoners  reported  their  force  as  seventy-five  hundred. 
At  twelve  we  went  ahead  rapidly,  and  at  three  o'clock 
we  engaged  the  foe  in  an  entrenched  camp  three  or 
four  miles  from  the  fort.  Here  ensued  the  most 
desperate  and  bloody  fight  our  army  has  known  since 
1812. 

The  fight  lasted  until  near  night,  when  we  were 
completely  victorious,  the  enemy  totally  routed  with 
the  loss  of  all  their  cannon,  baggage,  etc.  Much  of 
the  fight  was  desperate,  personal,  hand-to-hand  en 
counters,  but  the  eager  courage  of  our  men  overcame 
superior  numbers  and  drove  them  from  their  strong 
position.  Many  hundreds  have  fallen,  the  loss  of  the 
Mexicans  has  been  terrific.  Their  dead  are  strewed 
over  the  whole  field.  We  have  five  officers  killed,  and 
twelve  wounded,  Colonel  Mclntosh  desperately,  and 
Captain  Hove  will  lose  his  right  arm.  Edmund 
and  myself,  though  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  —  men 
falling  around  us  on  all  sides  —  were  unhurt.  All 
have  behaved  as  if  the  word  fear  was  not  in  their 
vocabularies.  General  La  Vega  and  many  others  are 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  47 

prisoners.  Such  a  victory  is  hardly  on  record.  I 
cannot  write  another  word  now  but  will  give  you 
a  thousand  particulars  when  I  have  leisure. 

[More  particulars  of  the  battles  of  the  eighth  and 
ninth  of  May,  1846.] 

Ax  OUR  OLD  CAMP  OPPOSITE  MATAMORAS, 
May  13,  1846. 

On  the  eighth,  as  I  anticipated,  we  met  the  enemy 
on  the  prairie  and  fought  them  five  hours  —  whipping 
them  severely.  It  was  mostly  a  cannonade,  the  Fifth 
being  the  only  regiment  closely  engaged.  To  describe 
more  particularly  our  position  on  the  eighth  —  we 
had  proceeded  quietly  on  our  route  until  near  twelve 
at  noon  when  we  learned  that  the  enemy  were  in 
great  force  in  our  front  some  two  miles.  We  almost 
immediately  halted  at  some  ponds,  all  getting  a  re 
freshing  drink.  We  were  then  deployed  in  order 
of  battle  and  marched  steadily  forward  until  we  saw 
the  enemy's  line  more  than  a  mile  distant.  The 
Fifth  Infantry  was  the  right  of  our  line,  then  Ring- 
gold's  battery,  next  the  Third  and  Fourth  Infantry, 
next  two  eighteens  under  Lieutenant  Churchill,  then 
eleven  companies  of  artillery,  the  Eighth  Infantry, 
and  on  the  extreme  left  Duncan's  battery  protected 
by  a  squadron  of  Dragoons.  Our  force  in  the  aggre 
gate  was  less  than  twenty-one  hundred  men  and  we 
were  encumbered  by  a  large  wagon  train  (about  two 


48  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

hundred)  loaded  with  stores  and  ammunition  for  the 
fort.  The  Mexican  lines  extended  far  beyond  our 
right  and  left,  and  we  have  since  ascertained  that  they 
had  more  than  seven  thousand  regular  troops  in  the 
field.  The  action  commenced  by  a  cannonade  from 
the  enemy's  right  and  was  soon  followed  by  the  pieces 
at  the  intervals  through  their  entire  line.  Ringgold's 
and  Duncan's  batteries  were  at  once  thrown  forward 
replying  with  a  most  deadly  fire.  The  enemy's  shot 
were  playing  briskly  through  our  ranks,  the  wounded 
and  dying  at  our  feet  producing  no  effect  upon  the 
admirable  discipline  of  the  men  —  the  occasional  ex 
pression  of  a  wish  to  charge  being  the  only  evidence 
that  they  felt  their  position  out  of  musket  range  and 
exposed  to  the  deadly  fire  of  many  cannon.  Our 
eighteens  opened  at  the  same  time  with  the  other 
guns  and  evidently  produced  confusion  in  the  enemy's 
centre.  We  soon  saw  the  movement  of  a  large  force  of 
cavalry  from  the  Mexican  left  toward  our  right  with 
the  evident  intention  of  taking  us  in  the  flank.  It 
was  seen  by  our  General,  and  the  Fifth  were  ordered 
to  the  right  and  front  to  intercept  them.  After 
rapidly  marching  more  than  one-fourth  of  a  mile  the 
word  was,  "  Here  they  come  !  "  and  we  at  once  formed 
square  against  cavalry  and  stood  firmly  at  a  shoulder. 
They  rode  upon  us  eight  hundred  strong.  When  about 
a  hundred  feet  from  us  they  delivered  their  fire  and 
continued  their  charge.  A  few  of  our  men  fell  wounded 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  49 

but  not  a  man  wavered.  At  this  moment  the  fire  of 
our  second  front  was  delivered  with  as  much  precision 
as  on  drill,  and  with  a  most  withering  effect.  Walker's 
rangers,  about  twenty  of  whom  were  on  our  right, 
gave  them  their  rifle  balls  with  their  usual  coolness 
and  deadly  aim.  They  immediately  broke  to  the  left 
and  went  off  at  a  run.  During  the  charge,  two  pieces 
from  Ringgold's  battery  under  Ridgely  had  come  up 
in  our  rear  and  as  the  ground  would  not  allow  them 
to  pass  on  our  flanks,  we  by  a  side  movement  gave 
them  room  to  fire  and  their  deadly  grape  and  canister 
completed  the  rout  which  we  had  so  well  begun. 
The  cannonade  continued  until  night  closed  in  when 
the  spectacle  was  magnificent.  The  prairie  was  burn 
ing  brilliantly  between  the  two  armies  and  some 
twenty  pieces  of  artillery  thundering  from  right  to  left, 
while  through  the  lurid  scene  was  heard  the  tramp 
ing  of  horses  and  the  wild  cheering  of  the  men.  After 
dark  our  train  was  parked  upon  the  battle  field  and 
we  lay  upon  our  arms  until  daylight.  This  ended  the 
battle  of  Palo  Alto.  Major  Ringgold  and  Captain 
Page  mortally  wounded.  The  enemy  suffered  horribly, 
having  by  their  own  statement  about  five  hundred 
killed. 

In  the  morning  our  line  was  formed,  our  train  left 
entrenched,  defended  by  a  rear  guard  and  four  twelve- 
pounders.  The  Fifth  was  pushed  forward  by  heads 
of  companies  to  a  point  of  chaparral  a  half  mile  in 


50  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

advance  of  the  line.  The  ground  was  reconnoitred 
and  it  was  ascertained  that  the  main  body  had  re 
treated  during  the  night,  having  buried  a  portion  of 
their  dead.  Skirmishes  under  Captains  McCall  and 
C.  F.  Smith  were  thrown  in  advance  to  feel  the  enemy 
and  ascertain  their  position. 

Between  eleven  and  twelve  we  marched,  the  Fifth 
in  advance  followed  by  Ringgold's  battery  under 
Ridgely.  After  marching  six  miles  we  learned  that 
the  skirmishers  had  discovered  the  enemy  strongly 
posted  two  miles  in  our  advance.  It  is  almost  im 
possible  to  understand  with  what  our  little  army  had 
to  contend  unless  the  ground  is  seen.  On  each  side 
extending  for  miles  was  a  dense  thorny  thicket  or 
chaparral  cut  by  deep  ravines  and  narrow  ponds 
through  which  passes  the  road  to  Matamoras.  As 
we  advanced  we  heard  the  skirmishers  engaged  - 
halted  —  to  let  Ridgely's  battery  pass,  and  then  im 
mediately  deployed  as  skirmishers  to  the  left  of  the 
road  and  pushed  for  the  enemy.  The  chaparral  broke 
us  into  small  parties  and  when  I  came  up  to  the 
skirmishers  under  McCall  I  had  not  more  than  twenty 
of  my  men  with  me  and  not  another  of  the  Fifth  in 
sight.  The  enemy's  grape  and  canister  from  ten 
pieces,  nines,  and  sixes  were  whipping  the  bushes  about 
our  ears,  the  small  shot  falling  thickly  amongst  us. 
I,  at  this  time,  examined  their  position.  They  were 
strongly  posted  on  a  ravine  which  crosses  the  road 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  51 

where  it  makes  a  slight  turn.  It  was  deep  and  the 
crest  opposite  us  entrenched  to  protect  their  Infantry 
-  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  thicket  so  dense  that  we 
could  not  see  into  it.  The  few  of  us  who  were  in  this 
advanced  position  saw  at  once  the  absolute  necessity 
of  charging  their  guns  to  gain  the  battle,  and  for  this 
purpose  moved  to  the  right  where  we  were  joined  by 
many  more  of  the  Fifth  on  the  edge  of  the  road.  We 
had  already  begun  our  charge  when  the  shout  came 
down  the  road,  "  Charge  Fifth  !  "  A  squadron  of 
Dragoons  charged  by  us  immediately  into  their  bat 
teries.  Most  gallantly  was  it  done  while  the  welkin 
rung  with  our  tremendous  cheers.  May  dispersed 
the  party  at  their  guns  but  could  not  of  course,  with 
horse,  maintain  them.  The  Fifth  dashed  into  the 
ravine  after  them  and  from  right  to  left  the  most 
desperate  hand-to-hand  fighting  ensued.  The  enemy 
here  fought  like  devils.  Our  men,  however,  knew  that 
if  conquered  they  would  get  no  quarter  and  there  was 
no  possibility  of  a  retreat,  and  though  surrounded  by 
vastly  superior  numbers  fought  with  desperation. 
Their  aim  was  steady  and  often  with  a  rest  in  the 
fork  of  a  bush.  In  the  hand-to-hand  conflicts  which 
were  occurring  in  every  part  of  the  field  our  officers 
and  men  were  decidedly  superior. 

The  desperate  conflict  could  not  last  and  the  Mexi 
cans  fled  utterly  routed.  They  were  followed  to  the 
neighborhood  of  the  fort  where  they  took  the  river  in 


52  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

every  direction  receiving  the  fire  of  the  eighteens  on 
the  parapet  as  they  were  swimming  over.  We  have 
heard  that  three  hundred  were  drowned  in  crossing, 
including  their  priest  and  several  officers.  Thus  ter 
minated  one  of  the  most  desperate  actions  in  which 
our  army  was  ever  engaged.  We  lost  in  killed  and 
wounded  about  one  hundred  and  forty.  Lieutenant 
Inge  fell  in  May's  charge.  Lieutenants  Chadbourne 
and  Cochrane  on  the  eighth.  Colonels  Mclntosh  and 
Payne,  Captain  Hove,  Lieutenants  Gates  and  Jordan 
were  badly  wounded  and  many  others  slightly.  The 
enemy  must  have  lost  at  least  one  thousand  men  in 
the  action  and  in  the  retreat.  Of  the  Tampico  Guarda 
Costas,  one  of  the  best  regiments  in  their  service,  only 
twenty-six  escaped.  We  took  eight  pieces  of  artillery, 
fifteen  hundred  stand  of  small  arms,  two  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  rounds  of  musket  cartridges,  about 
six  hundred  pack  mules  with  all  their  packs,  their 
camp  equipage  and  the  personal  baggage  of  the  officers, 
General  Arista's  portfolio,  plate,  tent,  etc.  The  artil 
lery  battalion  under  Childs  was  held  in  reserve  dur 
ing  the  action,  so  that  we  actually  had  only  about 
fourteen  hundred  men  engaged  while  the  enemy  had 
a  larger  force  than  on  the  eighth,  having  been  reen- 
forced  during  the  night  by  one  thousand  choice  troops 
from  Matamoras.  They  thought  they  had  us  in  a 
cul-de-sac  and  cannot  account  for  our  victory.  Ed 
mund  behaved  with  great  gallantry  taking  a  piece 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  53 

and  bringing  it  from  the  midst  of  the  enemy.  But  it 
is  impossible  to  make  distinctions  where  all  fought 
with  equal  courage.  I  saw  no  man  falter  and  the  ob 
ject  of  each  seemed  to  be  to  find  the  largest  crowd  of 
Mexicans.  It  is  a  glorious  fact  for  the  army  that  there 
were  no  volunteers  with  us.  What  will  Mr.  Black 
say  now  about  the  little  drill  sergeants,  etc.  ? 

MATAMORAS,  MEXICO, 
May  19,  1846. 

My  last  hurried  note  was  written  from  the  battle 
field  the  morning  after  the  desperate  action  of  Resaca 
de  la  Palma.  I  hope  you  will  receive  my  letter  before 
you  are  made  anxious  by  the  newspapers.  That  I 
was  not  killed  is  wonderful  as  I  was  in  the  ravine 
where  so  many  fell  closely  engaged  with  a  much  su 
perior  force,  and  I  cannot  express  my  gratitude  to  a 
kind  God  who  yet  spares  me.  During  the  tenth  much 
was  done  to  clear  the  field  of  the  dead.  I  saw  eighty- 
three  in  one  pile  already  partially  decomposed  by  the 
side  of  the  pit  into  which  they  were  to  be  thrown. 
Many  hundreds  were  lying  about  and  the  vultures 
were  already  at  their  widespread  feast,  the  wolves 
howling  and  fighting  over  their  dreadful  meal.  Before 
morning  the  scent  of  the  carnage  became  almost 
insupportable.  On  the  eleventh  we  marched  to  Fort 
Brown,  named  after  its  gallant  defender  who  was 
killed  in  it  by  a  shell  on  the  fourth.  General  Taylor 


54  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

and  the  wounded  went  to  Point  Isabel.  Poor  Move's 
right  arm  was  amputated  near  the  shoulder.  He  is 
doing  well.  Colonels  Mclntosh  and  Payne  are  in 
great  danger. 

On  the  seventeenth  General  Taylor  having  returned 
from  Point  Isabel  we  were  ordered  a  few  miles  up  the 
river  where  preparations  had  been  made  to  cross  and 
invest  Matamoras. 

On  the  eighteenth  the  passage  commenced,  the 
enemy  offering  no  opposition.  A  few  companies  as 
skirmishers,  a  squadron  of  Dragoons  and  a  field  bat 
tery  of  four  pieces  were  over  and  the  Fifth  on  the 
move  when  we  learned  that  Arista  with  his  entire 
force,  still  forty-five  hundred  strong,  were  in  full  re 
treat.  We  crossed  and  the  residue  of  the  army  went 
down  the  river  and  passed  over  at  the  town.  We 
marched  immediately  to  the  city,  five  miles,  and  soon 
saw  our  flag  floating  over  the  Mexican  fort.  We  halted 
without  our  baggage  in  a  ploughed  field  in  the  suburbs, 
not  being  allowed  to  enter  the  city,  and  lay  down  upon 
the  bare  ground  tired  and  hungry  enough.  Towards 
night  the  interdict  was  removed  and  I  went  to  town 
where  I  soon  succeeded  in  getting  a  good  cup  of  coffee 
and  a  piece  of  bread  at  a  restaurant.  The  town  is 
much  like  St.  Augustine,  only  with  larger,  wider  streets 
and  finer  public  buildings.  Strong  patrols  were  kept 
moving  through  the  streets  to  protect  the  inhabitants 
and  prevent  riot.  We  found  near  four  hundred  of 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  55 

Arista's  wounded  whom  he  had  left  in  the  hospital 
when  he  fled.  It  is  thought  that  General  Taylor  will 
move  towards  Monterey,  a  large  fortified  city  three 
hundred  miles  on  the  road  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  but 
no  one  knows  with  certainty  what  he  will  do.  ... 
How  long  we  remain  inactive  where  we  are  is  very 
uncertain.  The  volunteers  are  arriving  in  great  num 
bers  and  an  immense  wagon  train  must  be  collected 
before  we  can  move  forward  upon  Monterey  which  we 
think  is  the  first  point  at  which  the  enemy  can  make 
a  decided  stand.  By  the  road  it  is  nearly  three  hun 
dred  miles  here  to  that  town. 

CAMP  MATAMORAS, 
MY  DEAR  SON,-'  May  30,  1846. 

Your  excellent  letter  was  received  long  since.  I 
acknowledged  its  reception  immediately  in  a  letter 
to  your  mother,  and  should  have  written  to  you  be 
fore  now,  were  I  not  so  occupied  and  so  inconveniently 
situated  in  a  tent,  as  to  make  it  almost  impossible 
to  write  at  all.  One  of  the  most  violent  storms  which 
has  assailed  us  in  this  region  is  now  raging  and  it  has 
cost  me  a  good  ducking  and  much  labor  to  secure  my 
tent.  Several  of  my  brother  officers  are  at  this  mo 
ment  standing  about  in  the  rain,  their  tents  completely 

1  Joseph  Lee  Kirby  Smith,  a  boy  not  yet  eleven  years  old, 
graduated  at  West  Point,  Class  of  1857,  and  commanded  a  demi- 
Brigade,  United  States  Army,  at  the  Battle  of  Corinth,  Miss., 
October  4, 1862,  where  he  was  mortally  wounded,  shot  in  the  face  as 
his  father  was,  dying  aged  twenty-six. 


56  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

blown  away  and  their  trunks,  bedding,  etc.,  lying 
about  in  the  wet  and  mud. 

Since  the  battles  of  Palo  Alto  (long  pole)  and  Resaca 
de  la  Palma,  which  means  the  watering  place  of  the 
Palmas  —  Palma  being  the  name  of  a  family  —  I  have 
written  twice  to  your  mother,  once  from  the  battle 
field,  the  day  after  the  action,  and  again  since  the 
capture  of  Matamoras.  I  hope  those  letters  have 
both  been  received.  I  trust,  my  dear  boy,  that  you 
in  your  prayers  return  thanks  to  a  kind  Providence 
who  has  protected  your  father  in  the  extreme  perils 
through  which  he  has  passed  uninjured.  Many  men 
were  killed  and  wounded  at  his  side  by  bullets,  un 
doubtedly  aimed  at  him.  Remember  this  with  a 
grateful  heart  in  your  daily  devotion  and  pray  ear 
nestly  that  he  may  be  spared  in  coming  dangers  so  that 
he  may  train  you  and  your  brother  in  the  service  of 
that  just  and  Omnipotent  Master  to  whom  we  must 
all  finally  render  an  account. 

Your  old  friend  Ryan,1  who  once  saved  your  life, 
was  shot  through  the  shoulder  by  my  side  on  the 
ninth,  and  Geary,  whom  you  will  remember,  was  shot 
in  the  forehead  and  fell  at  my  feet  in  the  action  of  the 
eighth.  They  are  both  recovering  rapidly,  though  I 
fear  Ryan  will  have  a  stiff  arm. 

We  think  there  will  be  no  more  fighting  in  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  —  the  Mexicans  are  so 

1  Private  soldier  who  had  saved  the  boy  from  drowning  at  four 
years  old. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  57 

entirely  routed,  and  we  are  so  much  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  volunteers  that  it  is  thought  they  can 
not  in  this  quarter  assemble  another  army  to  oppose 

us.  .  .  . 

CAMP  AT  MATAMORAS, 

June  2,  1846. 

A  mixed  command  of  volunteers  and  regulars  is 
to  be  sent  in  a  few  days  to  Reynosa  and  Camargo  from 
fifty  to  eighty  miles  up  the  river.  I  think  they  will 
have  no  fighting  and  the  "  Bloody  Fifth  "  will  not  be 
sent.  Major  Belton  is  daily  expected  to  arrive  with 
some  additional  companies  of  artillery  and  we  shall 
then  have  in  the  field  a  regular  force  of  more  than 
three  thousand,  and  probably  a  volunteer  force  of 
ten  thousand.  I  do  not  think  from  all  I  can  learn 
from  the  most  intelligent  Mexicans  here  that  the 
"  magnanimous  Mexican  nation  "  will  make  peace 
on  any  terms,  until  they  are  dictated  to  her  in  the 
valley  of  Mexico.  What  long  marches,  bloody  sieges, 
and  dreadful  battles  are  to  be  encountered  before 
then  cannot  be  foretold  but  that  all  will  have  to  be 
met  is  most  certain.  ...  No  news  except  the  Second 
Infantry  ordered  here  and  a  rumor  that  General 
Scott  is  coming  to  take  command  of  the  Army  of 
Invasion. 

[The  tenth  of  June  Captain  Smith,  having  heard  of 
the  sudden  death  of  his  father  at  St.  Augustine, 
Florida,  and  there  being  no  active  operations  at  that 


58  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

time  with  the  army,  obtained  a  leave  of  sixty  days, 
during  which  time  he  visited  his  family  at  the  North, 
and  started  on  his  return  to  the  front  August  24,  via 
Buffalo,  Chicago,  and  Alton.] 

STEAMBOAT  "  NORTH  CAROLINA," 
FORTY  MILES  BELOW  ST.  Louis, 
September  5,  1846. 

"  There  is  no  end  to  human  calamity! "  111  luck  has 
pursued  me  every  step  from  Chicago,  where  I  arrived 
Saturday,  the  twenty-ninth  ultimo.  I  was  there  en 
couraged  with  the  idea  that  I  should  reach  St.  Louis 
by  the  night  of  the  first,  and  to  ensure  it  I  engaged 
an  extra  in  company  with  some  other  gentlemen,  pay 
ing  double  fare  to  Peru  where  we  expected  to  meet  a 
boat.  We  were  to  reach  that  place  in  fourteen  hours. 
We  started  at  four  in  the  afternoon  and  at  daylight 
next  morning  were  only  thirty- six  miles  from  Chicago, 
and  did  not  arrive  at  our  destination  until  night  when 
we  found  the  Illinois  very  low  and  no  boat.  By  our 
contract  we  were  to  have  been  sent  forward  in  the 
mail  stage,  but  it  passed  in  the  night,  full,  and  we  lost 
our  chance.  In  the  morning  we  took  another  extra 
to  Peoria  —  seventy  miles  —  with  an  express  engage 
ment  to  overtake  the  mail  at  that  point,  or  to  be  sent 
on  immediately.  We  arrived  at  Peoria  in  good  time 
but  the  agent  for  the  line  utterly  refused  to  fulfil  the 
contract  and  we  were  detained  twenty-four  hours, 
neither  threats  nor  bribes  being  of  any  avail.  My 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  59 

fellow  sufferers  were  Judge  B ,  the  M.  C.  from 

St.  Louis  and  his  wife,  a  lovely  lady,  a  Dr.  L  — 
from  St.  Louis  and  a  Mr.  H—  -  and  his  sister  from 
Lysander.  We  finally  got  off  in  the  mail  stage 
Tuesday  night  and  thought  our  detentions  were  over. 
We  were  to  reach  Alton  at  eight  and  St.  Louis  by 
ten  in  the  morning.  It  rained  violently,  the  roads 
were  heavy  and  it  was  after  twelve  at  noon  when  we 
drove  down  the  hill  into  Alton.  The  packet  was  gone 
and  we  were  detained  until  this  morning,  when  I  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  on  board  a  light  draught  Ohio  River 
boat  which  I  shall  leave  at  Cairo  where  I  hope  to 
overtake  the  "  Tempest,"  a  fast  down-river  boat.  I 
have  been  so  much  delayed  that  I  fear  I  cannot 
reach  my  regiment  'til  after  my  leave  has  expired.  I 
shall  be  much  mortified  and  distressed  should  there 
be  an  engagement  before  I  join  and  after  the  expira 
tion  of  my  leave.  A  fight  seems  certain  as  the  Mexi 
cans  are  concentrating  a  strong  force  at  Monterey, 
and  although  Paredes  is  dethroned  I  think  it  will  not 
alter  the  relations  between  the  two  Governments. 
Santa  Anna  may  prove  our  bitterest  foe.  I  find 
whenever  I  meet  an  officer  that  dissatisfaction  with 
the  brevets,  and  total  disgust  at  the  whole  course  of 
the  Administration  is  felt  by  a  large  majority  of  the 
army.  I  have  determined  to  keep  quiet  and  simply 
do  my  duty  without  looking  for  distinction.  ...  As 
I  am  now  on  the  mighty  river,  I  cannot  suffer  from 


60  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

much  more  detention  and  shall  hope  to  overtake  the 
Second  Infantry  at  New  Orleans.  .  .  . 

CAIRO,  Sept.  6,  1846. 

I  landed  here  at  daylight  this  morning.  The  "  Tem 
pest  "  had  passed  here  last  evening,  so  here  I  must 
wait  another  opportunity.  You  perhaps  remember 
this  place  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  There  is  an  im 
mense  hotel  and  a  few  warehouses  which  were  erected 
during  the  speculating  mania  of  '35  and  '36.  They 
are  now  unoccupied  and  are  sad  monuments  of  that 
period  of  folly.  The  site  of  the  town  is  overflowed  in 
high  water  and  in  the  hot  season  it  is  exceedingly 
sickly,  bilious  and  intermittent  fevers  being  prevalent. 
We  stepped  from  our  boat  upon  an  old  hull  which  has 
been  moored  here  and  fitted  up  as  a  house  of  enter 
tainment.  It  was  a  boat  of  the  largest  class  and  the 
magnificent  cabin  of  one  of  the  most  expensive  boats 
ever  built  on  the  Western  waters  has  been  transferred 
to  it,  the  staterooms  being  used  for  sleeping  apart 
ments,  and  the  long  range  of  saloons  for  drawing- 
rooms,  dining-room,  etc.  It  is  well  kept,  no  gambling 
or  drinking  being  allowed  on  board;  each  one,  how 
ever,  is  compelled  to  be  his  own  servant,  everything 
being  exceedingly  democratic.  It  is  very  hot  and 
solitary,  not  a  single  boat  being  here  this  morning. 
The  prospect  outside  is  anything  but  inviting.  The 
low  grounds  around  are  covered  with  rank,  unwhole- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  61 

some-looking  weeds,  the  river  coated  with  a  thick 
layer  of  yellow,  slimy,  putrid-looking  ooze,  the  filth  of 
the  river  Ohio  for  a  hundred  miles  collected  in  the 
slack  water  at  the  mouth  through  which  the  catfish 
can  scarcely  squirm  and  upon  which  a  light-footed 
lass  might  run,  all  lying  under  a  burning  sun  un 
moved  by  a  breath  of  air.  Over  all  reigns  the  stillness 
of  a  Sabbath  morning  unbroken  by  a  sound  save  the 
screams  of  a  dirty  wench  girl  who  is  playing  in  the 
mud  in  the  shadow  of  the  boat  with  a  pet  bear. 
Imagine  all  this  and  you  will  have  the  scene  which 
surrounds  me  and  which  I  am  doomed  to  enjoy  the 
entire  day.  The  only  other  guest  the  landlord  has 
at  this  time  is  the  captain  of  the  steamer  "  Bulletin," 
waiting  for  a  rise  of  water.  He  sits  at  present  under 
the  awning  on  the  boiler  deck  intellectually  em 
ployed  with  a  long  nine  and  an  old  newspaper.  .  .  . 

ST.  CHARLES,  NEW  ORLEANS, 
September  23,  1846. 

I  have  a  sad  tale  to  tell  you  of  all  my  ill  luck  since  I 
wrote  you  from  Cairo.  I  embarked  at  that  place  on 
the  "  Wave,"  commanded  by  Captain  White,  a  very 
clever  man.  The  boat  was  heavily  freighted,  having 
three  hundred  horses,  some  mules,  and  about  two 
hundred  sheep  on  the  lower  deck  and  was  certainly 
the  slowest  team  I  ever  saw.  For  two  days  we  paddled 
leisurely  down  stream.  I  was  all  anxiety  to  overtake 


62  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  Second  Infantry  at  New  Orleans  which  in  a  fast 
boat  would  have  been  quite  practicable  but  I  de 
spaired  on  the  slow  rolling  "  Wave,"  and  had  the 
happiness  of  shifting  my  quarters  to  the  "  Wing  and 
Wing  "  on  the  third  day.  Fast  then  we  sped  for  the 
Crescent  City  —  but  a  new  calamity  befell  me.  I  was 
taken  sick,  evidently  threatened  with  bilious  fever.  I 
kept  up  however  in  the  hope  of  overtaking  Colonel 
Riley  and  on  Saturday  evening  reached  here  just  a 
few  hours  too  late,  the  Second  having  left  that  morn 
ing.  I  was  down  sick  with  remittent  bilious  fever  and 
compelled  to  send  for  a  doctor.  By  last  Friday  I  was 
convalescent  but  the  doctor  would  not  allow  me  to 
proceed  in  a  boat  which  left  for  Brasos  that  day,  so  I 
sent  his  certificate  and  reported  myself  sick  here.  .  .  . 
Thursday  the  twenty-fourth  I  shall  leave  for  Point 
Isabel  in  the  "  McKim,"  having  sufficiently  recovered 
my  health. 

ANCHORAGE  OFF  BRASOS,  SANTIAGO, 
STEAMER  "  McKiM," 

September  30,  1846. 

It  is  early  morning.  We  have  lain  here  rolling  in  a 
heavy  sea  since  yesterday.  The  lighter  has  just  come 
off  bringing  news  of  a  dreadful  fight  at  Monterey. 
The  steamer  "  James  L.  Day  "  is  firing  up  inside  to 
take  the  news  to  New  Orleans  and  I  hasten  to  give 
you  what  little  news  I  have  been  able  to  gather. 
The  fight  commenced  by  an  attack  on  the  fortified 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  63 

heights  near  Monterey  on  the  twenty-first,  our  forces 
gradually  gaining  on  the  enemy  until  the  twenty- 
fourth,  when  General  Ampudia  capitulated.  Our  loss 
was  terrible,  that  of  the  Mexicans  not  yet  ascertained. 
On  our  side  Captain  L.  N.  Morris,  Captain  Field, 
Brevet  Major  Barbour,  Lieutenant  Irwin,  Lieutenant 
Hazlitt,  Lieutenant  Wood,  Captain  McKavett,  and 
Lieutenant  Hoskins  were  killed  and  many  other  offi 
cers  badly  wounded.  It  is  said  there  are  five  hundred 
of  the  rank  and  file  killed  and  wounded.  The  Ten 
nessee  volunteers  suffered  much.  General  Worth,  it 
is  reported,  greatly  distinguished  himself.  We  know 
on  board  no  other  particulars,  not  even  the  terms  of 
the  capitulation.  I  could  lie  down  and  cry  of  vexa 
tion  and  grief  at  not  being  there,  though  perhaps  it  is 
all  for  the  best  and  we  shall  have  more  fighting.  .  .  . 

CAMARGO, 
October  12,  1846. 

I  arrived  here  a  week  ago  today  and  have  been  de 
tained  for  a  train  and  escort  to  proceed  to  Monterey. 
This  is  the  hottest  and  dustiest  place  I  have  ever  seen. 
It  is  on  the  right  or  east  bank  of  the  San  Juan  about 
three  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Rio  Grande. 
The  banks  are  about  thirty  feet  above  the  present 
level  of  the  water,  though  in  the  spring  it  rises  five  or 
six  feet  above  their  crests,  washing  away  the  founda 
tions  of  the  houses  which  are  principally  built  of  stone 


64  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

one  story  in  height.  Some  of  them  are  rather  impos 
ing  looking  buildings  and  have  been  surrounded  by 
fine  gardens,  orange  groves,  etc.  Alas  !  they  are  now 
laid  waste  by  flood  and  war.  The  best  of  the  inhabi 
tants  are  gone.  Speaking  of  an  escort  to  Monterey, 
it  is  at  all  times  unsafe  for  any  but  strong  parties  to 
pass  through  this  country,  and  the  danger,  of  course, 
is  much  increased  now  when  it  is  torn  by  invasion.  I 
have  received  an  order  from  General  Patterson  to 
organize  an  escort  for  the  supply  train  from  the  re 
covered  sick  of  the  regular  and  volunteer  forces  left 
here  by  the  army  now  at  Monterey.  On  inquiry  I 
find  I  shall  have  a  command  of  about  seventy-one 
regulars  and  one  hundred  and  twelve  volunteers 
rank  and  file,  with  nearly  twenty  officers.  With  this 
Falstaff  regiment  with  which  I  should  blush  to  march 
through  Coventry,  I  shall  take  the  field  in  the  course 
of  the  week  and  shall  probably  reach  Monterey  in 
eight  or  nine  days.  Monterey  and  the  valley  in  which 
it  is  situated  is  described  by  all  who  have  seen  it  as 
unsurpassed  in  beauty,  and  having  a  climate  which 
may  be  envied  by  all  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  city, 
which  usually  contains  about  twelve  thousand  inhabi 
tants,  is  strongly  fortified  and  stands  at  the  foot  of 
that  immense  range  of  mountains  known  as  the  Sierra 
Madre,  at  the  outlet  of  the  defile  which  leads  to  the 
city  of  Saltillo  and  on  the  head  waters  of  the  San 
Juan.  .  .  .  With  regard  to  the  battle  I  know  little 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  65 

more  than  you  will  learn  from  the  papers.  The  Fifth 
(in  which  you  are  particularly  interested),  in  common 
with  the  rest,  behaved  well  and  did  good  service.  Only 
one  man  of  the  regiment  was  killed  and  some  twenty- 
four  wounded.  Rossell  received  a  slight  flesh  wound. 
I  wonder  where  the  ball  found  flesh  enough  for  its 
passage,  without  hitting  the  bone.  Of  the  numerous 
occurrences  of  the  battle  field,  I  have  only  time  to 
relate  one  which  struck  me  as  particularly  affecting. 
It  is  connected  with  the  death  of  Brevet  Major  Phil 
Barbour.  When  struck  by  the  ball  which  caused  his 
death  in  a  few  seconds,  he  immediately  drew  from 
his  bosom  his  wife's  miniature,  opened  it  and  ex 
claimed:  "  Tell  her  I  died  on  the  field  of  victory! " 
put  it  to  his  lips  and  instantly  expired.  .  .  . 

MONTEREY, 
October  26,  1846. 

I  wrote  you  from  Camargo,  which  place  I  left  on  the 
fifteenth  in  command  of  my  ragged  battalion.  It  was 
a  serious  task  to  control  such  a  heterogeneous  body 
composed  as  it  was  of  volunteers  from  different  com 
mands,  sneaks  and  invalids  of  all  the  regular  com 
panies  who  were  left  behind  at  this  place  when  the 
army  advanced.  Nevertheless,  by  rigid  discipline 
and  close  watching  I  succeeded  in  controlling  them. 
The  first  day's  march  was  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  Rio  Grande  upon  the  Mexican  side,  through  a 


66  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

tolerably  fertile  country  with  extensive  corn  fields 
and  occasional  sugar  fields.  The  fruit  trees  were 
oranges,  pomegranates,  peaches,  bananas,  with  a  few 
other  inferior  tropical  fruits,  not  being  many,  however, 
of  any  kind.  The  population  was  much  greater  than 
I  anticipated,  though  in  intelligence  the  inhabitants 
but  little  surpassed  the  aborigines  of  the  west,  and 
are  certainly  inferior  to  them  in  physical  development. 
We  advanced  steadily  on  the  second  day  to  the  city  of 
Mier,  on  a  branch  of  the  Rio  Grande,  a  neat  and  toler 
ably  well-built  Mexican  town,  the  inhabitants  of 
rather  better  character  than  any  I  had  seen  in  the 
country.  The  stream  on  which  it  stands  is  a  beauti 
ful,  clear,  rapid  torrent  running  over  a  rocky  bed. 
From  this  place  the  route  passed  through  Punta 
Aguada,  Cerralvo,  and  Marina.  The  country  became 
exceedingly  rocky,  broken,  and  barren,  with  very  few 
inhabitants  between  the  towns.  The  horizon  was 
closed  by  the  lofty  Sierra  whose  blue  summits  were 
crowned  with  clouds.  As  we  approached  the  moun 
tains  their  peculiar  character  became  more  evident. 
They  are  undoubtedly  of  volcanic  origin  and  of  most 
sublime  appearance,  in  one  place  shooting  up  to  a 
vast  height  in  a  cluster  of  cones  whose  summits 
pierced  the  clouds,  their  sharp  points  showing  above 
their  fleecy  belts,  in  another  towering  in  huge  beetling 
cliffs  again  broken  into  every  fantastic  shape,  pre 
senting  on  their  lofty  summits  the  appearance  of 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  67 

ruined  castles,  cities,  and  fortifications.  Immediately 
on  passing  through  Marina,  which  was  at  noon  on  the 
twenty-second,  the  unsurpassably  beautiful  valley 
of  Monterey  broke  upon  our  sight,  lying  in  the  lap 
of  the  mountains  watered  by  numerous  sparkling 
streams,  smiling  with  verdure,  dotted  with  rustic 
habitations,  herds  of  cattle,  droves  of  sheep  and 
horses,  and  waving  fields  of  maize  and  cane.  Sur 
rounded  as  this  panorama  is  by  the  loftiest  mountains 
I  ever  beheld,  it  certainly  presented  a  combination  of 
beauty  and  sublimity  such  as  I  have  never  seen 
equaled.  On  the  twenty- third  we  reached  General 
Taylor's  camp  which  is  three  miles  from  the  city.  I 
reported  and  then  proceeded  to  the  city  where  the 
Second  Division  under  General  Worth  to  which  the 
Fifth  is  attached  is  stationed.  I  soon  embraced  Ed 
mund  and  was  cordially  greeted  by  my  brother  offi 
cers.  Ted  is  quite  ruddy  from  the  mountain  air.  He 
has  become  quite  a  Spaniard  and  is  decidedly  the  most 
popular  officer  of  the  army  with  the  natives.  He  is 
a  guest,  and  through  his  influence,  I  am,  also,  of  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the  place,  a  member 
of  Congress  and  once  Governor  of  the  Province, 
Yclept  Don  Jesus  Treato.  I  have  been  incessantly 
on  duty  since  I  arrived,  and  am  now  a  member  of  a 
General  Court  Martial  writing  this  scrawl  amid  the 
cross-questioning  of  witnesses.  I  have  been  so  occu 
pied  that  I  haven't  had  time  to  examine  the  features 


68  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

of  the  battle  field.  I  have,  however,  already  seen 
enough  of  the  strength  of  the  place  to  be  utterly  sur 
prised  that  it  should  ever  have  been  carried  by  storm. 
.  .  .  Various  speculations  are  current  here  in  regard  to 
the  continuance  of  the  war,  and  our  movements  after 
the  termination  of  the  armistice.  It  is  thought  General 
Taylor  will  not  attempt  any  forward  movements  with 
his  present  means.  .  .  . 

MONTEREY,  MEXICO, 
November  2,  1846. 

.  .  .  Our  regiment  with  all  General  Worth's  divi 
sion  are  quartered  in  the  town,  which  is  situated  in  a 
nook  of  the  huge  mountains  which  lie  immediately 
around  it  on  three  sides,  their  frowning  and  broken 
peaks  seeming  almost  to  hang  over  it.  On  the  east 
the  Saddle  Mountain,  so  called  from  its  striking  re 
semblance  in  outline  to  a  Mexican  saddle;  on  the 
south  the  Sierra;  on  the  west  the  Mitre  Mountain, 
its  crest  from  our  position  appearing  as  regularly  cut 
with  points  as  a  royal  crown.  The  scenery  far  sur 
passes  anything  in  the  States,  and  our  traveled  friends 
say,  anything  in  Europe.  I  wish  you  could  gaze  with 
me  on  one  of  the  magnificent  sunsets  here.  The  god 
of  day  slowly  sinking  behind  the  cloud-capped  sum 
mits  of  the  Sierra  whose  frowning  cliffs  are  presented 
to  us  in  the  deepest  shadow,  their  crests  apparently 
supporting  the  sky  gorgeously  painted  with  every  hue 
of  the  spectrum,  while  the  deep  lateral  gorges  of  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  69 

mountain  are  bathed  in  light  long  after  the  sun  has 
disappeared  from  our  view  and  we  are  enveloped  in 
the  shadows  of  evening.  The  moon  here  has  all  the 
brilliancy  we  boast  in  Florida,  the  climate  is  as  soft, 
the  air  as  pure  and  I  judge  from  the  tropical  fruits 
growing  here  in  luxuriance  and  abundance  that  there 
is  no  danger  of  the  frosts  which  have  rendered  northern 
Florida  almost  a  waste.  We  have  exposed  in  the 
markets  here  the  fruits  and  productions  of  all  climes. 
From  the  mountain  heights  the  apple,  pear,  potato, 
etc.,  and  from  the  plains  the  orange,  fig,  banana, 
pomegranate,  date,  et  idoneum  genus.  It  truly  might 
be  an  earthly  paradise  were  the  inhabitants  civilized. 
They,  alas,  are  lost  in  the  most  groveling  supersti 
tion  and  ignorance  and  are  under  a  government  that 
tramples  them  to  the  dust.  I  trust  a  better  day  is 
about  to  dawn  on  this  benighted  region  and  that 
another  generation  under  a  better  government  may 
abandon  their  idleness  and  popish  idolatry.  The 
town  is  built  entirely  of  stone,  the  houses  mostly  one 
story  in  height,  with  flat  roofs,  the  walls  very  thick, 
the  windows  unglazed,  though  heavily  grated  with 
iron  bars  and  at  night  secured  with  ponderous  shutters. 
The  doors  which  are  of  the  most  substantial  character 
would  be  well  suited  to  a  state  prison  in  our  country, 
the  floors  are  all  of  cement  like  the  basement  floors  in 
St.  Augustine.  The  narrow  streets  all  paved  are  en 
closed  between  lofty  stone  walls;  the  gutters  which 


70  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

with  us  are  on  each  side  next  the  trottoir  are  here  in 
the  centre  of  the  street.  There  are  several  large 
plazas  or  public  squares  —  on  the  main  one  stands 
the  Cathedral,  a  very  large  and  fine  building  in  the 
Moorish  style.  On  the  principal  stone  bridge  over  the 
San  Juan  is  a  large  statue  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  having 
around  her  shoulders  a  green  cloak  and  on  her  head 
a  gilded  crown.  All  Mexican  passers  uncover  and 
bow,  perhaps  kneel  and  pray  to  this  image.  Near  the 
bridge  was  much  of  the  slaughter  in  the  late  action. 
The  walls  of  many  of  the  houses  are  thickly  marked 
with  shot,  —  the  one  in  which  I  am  now  writing  had 
the  projecting  gratings  torn  from  the  windows  by 
cannon  balls  and  in  every  direction  may  be  perceived 
the  traces  of  recent  battle. 

On  the  west  of  the  town,  crowning  the  summits  of 
the  lower  mountains,  are  the  forts  and  the  Bishop's 
palace  (Obispado),  so  gallantly  carried  by  our  divi 
sion  under  General  Worth.  The  Bishop's  palace  in 
the  distance  realizes  all  1  have  read  and  seen  in  pic 
tures  of  the  old  castles  of  Europe,  now  standing  in 
ruins,  monuments  of  the  feudal  ages.  I  have  been  so 
much  occupied  since  my  arrival  that  I  have  not  had 
time  closely  to  examine  this  interesting  work  or  the 
many  ruins  which  surround  the  place  and  prove  that 
its  prosperity  has  been  long  on  the  decline. 

There  is  not  a  broken  arch  or  fallen  column  which 
does  not  interest  me.  I  would  like  to  explore  every 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  71 

ruin  and  trace  in  the  fragments  and  shattered  sculp 
ture  the  history  of  a  fallen  people,  the  descendants  of 
the  proud  and  magnificent  Spaniards.  I  mentioned 
in  my  last  that  Captain  Ridgely,  after  gaining  a 
brilliant  reputation  in  the  recent  battles,  was  thrown 
from  his  horse  about  noon  on  the  twenty-fourth,  and 
died  on  the  twenty-seventh.  How  shocking  after  all 
the  dangers  he  has  passed  through  to  die  so  miserable 
a  death  !  Major  Lear  died  of  his  wounds  on  the  thirty- 
first,  and  was  buried  yesterday  with  all  the  honors.  .  .  . 
A  thousand  conjectures  are  afloat  about  our  future 
movements,  but  they  are  only  conjectures.  It  seems 
certain  that  Tampico  will  be  attacked  after  the  termi 
nation  of  the  armistice.  We  hear  that  Santa  Anna 
is  assembling  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men  at  San 
Luis  Potosi  where,  should  we  advance,  the  Mexicans 
will  make  a  desperate  stand.  I  think,  however,  that 
we  shall  never  go  there.  It  is  three  hundred  miles 
beyond  Saltillo,  at  least  one  hundred  of  which  is  a 
perfect  desert  without  wood  or  water.  The  route 
would  be  utterly  impracticable  for  an  army.  I  know 
from  General  Taylor  that  he  will  not  attempt  it  unless 
compelled  to  do  so  by  a  positive  order  from  the  highest 
authority.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  the  truce 
will  be  continued  until  the  meeting  of  the  Mexican 
Congress  in  December  to  give  them  an  opportunity 
to  make  peace,  but  nothing  definite  can  be  known 
until  the  return  of  the  express  from  Washington  with 


72  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

instructions  consequent  upon  the  capture  of  this 
place.  The  Cabinet  will,  of  course,  brood  in  solemn 
consultation  before  they  decide  and  then  will  probably 
determine  upon  something  far  different  from  what  we 
expect.  General  Wool  has  been  heard  from  with  his 
division  at  Monclova  to  the  northwest  of  our  position 
and  about  ninety  miles  from  Saltillo.  I  can  tell  you 
nothing  of  the  battle  which  you  will  not  have  learned 
from  the  papers.  The  Fifth,  you  will  see,  bore  a  dis 
tinguished  part  and  have  been  honorably  mentioned. 
I  shall  never  cease  to  regret  my  absence.  Such  an 
opportunity  occurs  but  once  in  a  lifetime  !  .  .  . 

Uncle  Edmund l  was  eight  hours  under  fire  in 
General  Taylor's  staff.  The  invitation  he  received 
from  the  General  in  the  morning  was:  "  Get  up, 
Kirby,  and  come  with  me  and  I  will  give  you  a  chance 
to  be  shot."  .  .  . 

MONTEREY,  MEXICO, 
November  8,  1846. 

Two  or  three  days  ago  I  rode  with  Uncle  Edmund 
and  a  small  party  to  the  Bishop's  palace  of  which  I 
have  spoken  to  you  in  a  former  letter.  It  was  a  glori 
ous  evening,  as  all  are  here,  about  an  hour  before 
sunset  as  we  galloped  our  horses  out  of  the  western 
extremity  of  the  city,  our  gay  chat  frequently  inter 
rupted  by  one  or  another  pointing  to  the  spot  where 
some  gallant  spirit  took  its  flight  in  the  battle.  After 

1  Colonel  Edmund  Kirby,  Paymaster,  U.S.A.,  on  General  Taylor's 
staff. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  73 

passing  the  suburbs  we  immediately  struck  the  base 
of  the  hill  upon  which  the  ruined  palace  stands  and 
ascended  it  by  a  winding  road  scarped  from  the  rock 
and  quite  practicable  for  carriages.  A  near  approach 
to  this  venerable  work  enabled  us  to  see  the  elaborate 
carvings  of  its  broad  front  which  is  entirely  covered 
with  them.  Immediately  over  the  main  entrance  is 
a  deeply  sculptured  coat  of  arms,  —  I  am  not  deep 
enough  in  heraldic  lore  to  blazon  it, — above  it  a  stone 
statue  of  our  Saviour  standing  in  a  niche  supporting 
the  Cross,  with  a  carved  radiation  or  glory  around  His 
head.  The  walls  are  many  feet  in  height  crowned 
with  battlements  and  lofty  turrets.  In  the  centre  of 
this  spacious  building  is  a  square  court  containing  a 
huge  deep  well  some  twelve  feet  in  diameter.  It  is 
now  dry  but  was  once  filled  to  within  thirty  feet  of 
the  surface.  The  grounds  about  the  palace  were 
irrigated  from  this  well  formerly,  the  hill  on  each  side 
having  been  terraced  and  carefully  cultivated  from 
the  summit  to  the  plain  below.  Not  a  vestige  of  these 
gardens  is  perceptible  now,  the  rains  during  the  lapse 
of  many  years  having  washed  away  the  earth,  exposing 
the  bare  rock.  .  .  .  The  ruined  state  of  this  massive 
construction,  it  having  been  long  unfit  for  human 
habitation,  proves  its  great  antiquity.  It  must  have 
been  already  crumbling  to  decay  when  it  was  first 
occupied  as  a  military  work  in  1782.  From  the  back 
of  the  palace  the  ridge  of  the  hill  continues  to  rise  for 


74  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

some  two  hundred  yards,  where  it  suddenly  breaks 
off  in  a  steep  rocky  declivity  to  the  valley  between  it 
and  the  Mitre  Mountain.  Here  previous  to  the  cap 
ture  was  a  Mexican  sand  bag  battery,  now  removed, 
and  in  its  place  are  the  graves  of  two  of  the  heroes 
who  fell  in  taking  it  on  the  twenty-second  ultimo, 
Captain  Gillespie  and  another  Texan  volunteer.  From 
this  point  nearly  six  hundred  feet  above  the  plain  I 
gazed  at  the  varied  and  magnificent  view  in  silent 
admiration.  I  wish  I  could  describe  it  in  any  language 
which  would  convey  even  a  faint  idea  of  the  thrilling 
effect  it  had  upon  me. 

It  was  just  at  the  close  of  day,  the  sun  having  al 
ready  disappeared  behind  the  crest  of  the  mountains 
crowned  with  fleecy  clouds  high  above  our  heads. 
The  glorious  light  was  still  streaming  through  the 
craggy  ravine  where  winds  the  broad  road  to  Saltillo. 
The  San  Juan  here  a  mountain  torrent  was  visible  by 
its  side  for  a  long  distance,  its  clear  waters  foaming 
and  sparkling  in  the  horizontal  rays  like  dancing 
diamonds.  Below  as  to  the  east  lay  the  city,  every 
street  and  plaza  in  full  view,  its  white  walls  and  battle 
ments  glancing  through  the  green  foliage  in  which  the 
whole  town  is  embowered,  and  beyond  for  a  back 
ground  to  this  lovely  picture  was  the  mighty  Saddle 
Mountain.  Immediately  below  our  feet  was  the  rich 
valley  of  Monterey  stretching  far  away  to  the  north 
chequered  with  waving  fields  of  corn  and  cane,  dotted 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  75 

with  hamlets,  cut  by  numerous  rivulets  and  irrigating 
canals,  General  Taylor's  encampment  appearing  under 
the  lofty  trees  at  Walnut  Springs  with  the  light  artil 
lery  on  evening  drill,  their  guns  rapidly  firing,  each 
discharge  echoing  from  the  mountains  with  many 
reverberations.  My  companions  who  were  them 
selves  in  the  engagements  pointed  me  to  the  places 
where  fell  the  immortal  heroes  of  those  three  days  of 
conflict.  There  under  that  sycamore  fell  the  gallant 
Morris,  there  the  chivalric  Barbour,  by  the  side  of 
that  ruined  wall,  the  fearless  Watson,  near  by  Lear 
received  his  last  wound,  in  that  ravine,  McKavett 
was  cut  in  twain  by  a  twelve-pound  shot,  and  far  on 
our  right  cresting  the  summit  of  that  craggy  hill  were 
the  ruins  of  that  fort  so  desperately  carried  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet  by  the  Fifth,  and  from  whose 
walls  our  regimental  banner  was  displayed,  the  first 
American  flag  which  waved  over  a  Mexican  work  on 
those  memorable  days.  How  tame  and  prolix  is  my 
description  of  a  scene  which  I  can  never  forget  !  .  .  . 
Continued,  Monday,  November  10.  Saturday  the 
same  party  whom  I  accompanied  to  the  Bishop's 
palace  proceeded  on  an  exploring  excursion  into  the 
country.  We  rode  over  the  plain  through  enclosed 
fields  about  five  miles  to  a  rude  Mexican  village 
at  the  base  of  a  mountain.  Here  we  found  the 
"  Caliente,"  a  famous  hot  spring  of  which  we  were  in 
search.  A  stone  house  containing  a  few  benches  has 


76  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

been  erected  near  it  for  a  dressing-room  for  the  bathers. 
From  it,  by  a  few  stone  steps,  we  enter  a  basin  some 
twenty  feet  square  enclosed  by  a  high  wall  of  masonry 
containing  the  water  as  clear  as  crystal  about  four 
feet  in  depth.  On  plunging  into  the  water  I  found  it 
to  my  astonishment  so  hot  that  I  couldn't  bear  it  at 
first  without  considerable  pain.  Where  it  gushes  from 
the  earth  it  is  almost  scalding  hot.  It  must  be  heated 
by  internal  fires  far  away  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth. 
The  water  is  slightly  mineral  containing  some  sulphur 
and  nitre,  and  is  said  to  be  extremely  good  for  cutane 
ous  diseases. 

Yesterday  we  were  notified  that  the  second  divi 
sion  under  General  Worth  were  to  start  for  Saltillo  on 
Thursday  morning,  and  we  are  all  now  in  the  bustle 
of  preparation.  We  are  to  be  joined  by  the  first 
regiment  of  Kentucky  volunteers  under  my  old 
friend  Tim  McKee,  and  the  Seventh  Infantry  are  to 
be  left  here.  We  shall  probably  garrison  Saltillo  for 
the  winter,  though  everything  is  very  uncertain.  As 
we  are  not  told  what  is  to  be  done  conjectures  are 
various.  One  that  we,  General  Worth's  division,  are 
to  be  joined  by  General  Wool's  command  and  after 
the  fall  of  Tampico,  which  is  to  be  taken  by  the  other 
wing  of  the  army  under  Generals  Taylor  and  Patter 
son,  are  to  meet  them  at  San  Luis  Potosi,  and  together 
secure  Santa  Anna's  other  leg  !  I  would  much  prefer 
to  have  gone  to  Tampico,  where  I  think  will  be  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  77 

first  fighting  and  where  we  could  hear  frequently  from 
the  United  States.  There  are  some  advantages,  how 
ever,  in  the  Saltillo  station.  It  is  in  a  high  moun 
tainous  country  where  there  is  no  fear  of  bilious  or  of 
yellow  fever.  .  .  .  There  is  a  report,  credited  by  the 
most  intelligent  Mexicans  here,  that  Santa  Anna  has 
ordered  Tampico  to  be  abandoned  and  that  he  will 
attempt  no  opposition  to  us,  until  we  are  farther  in 
the  interior  when  he  expects  to  use  us  up  as  the 
Russians  did  Napoleon  —  all  but  the  frost  and  snow. 
...  I  saw  General  Taylor  last  evening.  He  is  going 
with  us  to  Saltillo  and  will  start  the  other  column 
when  he  returns.  It  is  late  and  I  must  close  as  I  have 
to  be  stirring  at  daylight.  .  .  . 

SALTILLO, 
November  23,  1846. 

.  .  .  This  is  a  larger  town  than  Monterey,  contain 
ing  fourteen  thousand  inhabitants,  but  is  not  so  well 
built,  except  in  the  central  part.  The  building  ma 
terial  is  clay  formed  into  square  blocks  and  hard 
ened  in  the  sun.  The  Cathedral  is  a  gorgeous  affair, 
the  altarpiece  is  more  than  thirty  feet  in  height  by 
twenty-five  in  breadth,  and  is  composed  of  pillars, 
wreaths,  mouldings,  etc.,  heavily  gilded.  It  contains 
nine  niches  in  each  of  which  is  a  statue  as  large  as 
life,  the  central  and  upper  one  being  the  Virgin. 
There  are  some  thirty  statues  in  this  church  and  some 
fine  paintings.  The  image  of  our  Saviour  is  repeated 


78  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

in  every  part  of  it.  In  one  place  he  is  represented  as 
just  dead,  most  magnificently  laid  out  in  a  glass  case; 
his  countenance  is  truly  lovely,  with  a  fine  black 
moustache,  his  head  bound  with  a  silk  fillet.  Im 
mediately  above  him  is  a  statue  of  the  Mother  with 
the  Child  in  her  arms.  She  is  represented  as  a  most 
lovely  woman  elegantly  arrayed  in  richly  ornamented 
white  satin  robes,  which  are  sustained  by  an  angel. 
Her  whole  person  is  covered  with  spangles,  chains, 
and  jewels.  Opposite  this  is  a  thrilling  Crucifixion, 
the  wound  in  the  side  bleeding,  the  arms  and  legs 
gashed,  and  the  pallid  countenance  expressing  the 
last  agonies  of  death.  The  religion  of  the  inhabitants 
is  a  mixture  of  the  Roman  Catholic  and  the  super 
stitions  of  paganism.  They  are  awfully  addicted  to 
ringing  bells.  Every  church  and  chapel  tower  holds 
several  of  great  size.  They  are  strongly  alloyed  with 
silver  and  their  tones  are  louder  and  finer  than  any  I 
have  ever  heard  in  the  United  States.  "  From  morn 
to  dewy  eve  "'tis  clang,  clang,  bang,  bang,  ding  dong. 
At  stated  periods  of  the  day,  at  certain  signals  from 
some  old  monster  bell  all  the  people,  no  matter  how 
engaged,  at  work  or  at  play,  in  the  street  or  in  the 
house,  uncover  rapidly,  cross  themselves  and  mutter 
a  prayer.  This  universal  reverence  to  the  Deity  of  all 
the  people  at  the  same  time  strikes  the  stranger  as  a 
beautiful  and  almost  sublime  custom,  and  is  strongly 
contrasted  with  our  manner,  for  whatever  may  be 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  79 

our  sentiments  we  make  no  outward  show  of  religious 
feeling.  It  is  painful  to  know  that  these  people 
actually  do  not  comprehend  the  reason  of  their  acts. 
I  asked  a  man  why  he  took  off  his  hat  and  crossed 
himself.  He  replied:  "  Because  it  is  twelve  o'clock." 
Another  probably  would  say:  "  Because  the  priest 
told  me  to  do  so."  This  town  is  built  so  high  up  among 
the  mountains  that  the  climate  is  quite  cold  notwith 
standing  its  southern  latitude.  The  apple  and  pear 
grow  to  perfection  and  wheat  is  the  staple.  The  great 
want  is  wood.  Its  scarcity  renders  the  country  almost 
uninhabitable.  We  can't  obtain  enough  to  cook  with 
properly,  and  what  we  do  get  is  in  sticks  not  larger 
than  my  arm,  brought  many  miles  on  jackasses.  One 
of  the  principal  productions  of  the  country  is  the  aloe, 
agave,  maguey  or  century  plant,  it  being  known  by 
each  of  these  names.  From  it  the  "  pulque  "  a  fer 
mented  and  exceedingly  intoxicating  drink  is  made. 
The  plant  is  cultivated  with  great  care  and  grows  to 
an  enormous  size,  the  tall  flower  shafts  shooting  up 
often  thirty  feet.  The  centre  shaft  is  drawn  out,  leav 
ing  a  bowl  which  fills  three  times  a  day  with  juice 
which  when  fermented  resembles  buttermilk,  bearing 
on  its  surface  a  froth  like  that  on  a  pail  of  milk  just 
drawn  from  the  cow.  It  has  an  acid  unpleasant  taste 
much  relished  by  the  natives.  The  plant  after  a  few 
days  is  suffered  to  rest  when  it  throws  out  another 
central  shoot.  It  is  tapped  three  times  a  year. 


8o  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Our  regiment  is  quartered  in  an  old  Franciscan 
monastery  with  a  large  chapel  attached  to  it.  It  is 
filled  with  evidences  of  the  gross  superstition  of  the 
people.  A  fat,  old,  licentious-looking  friar  wanders 
about,  sole  representative  of  his  departed  brethren. 
My  quarters  are  in  an  apothecary's  shop  with  its 
shelves,  labeled  boxes  and  counter  all  remaining.  The 
counter  serves  for  a  bunk  for  N—  -  and  myself, 
while  M—  -  occupies  the  counting-room.  In  spite 
of  all  the  scrubbing  I  have  bestowed  upon  it,  the 
place  smells  vilely  of  pills,  rancid  lard,  etc.,  and  be 
sides  is  a  good  stand  for  fleas,  which  are  about  the 
size  of  small  crickets. 

We  are  quite  as  much  in  the  dark  here  with  regard 
to  the  probable  movements  of  the  army  as  you  can  be. 
We  are  stationed  on  the  salient  point  of  our  conquest, 
less  than  two  thousand  strong,  entirely  inactive,  and 
so  far  as  we  know  there  are  no  troops  of  the  enemy 
within  two  hundred  miles  of  us.  Santa  Anna  is  re 
cruiting,  drilling,  and  equipping  an  army  at  San  Luis 
Potosi  already  thirty  thousand  strong.  He  is  casting 
all  the  church  bells  into  cannon  —  I  wish  he  had  those 
that  are  deafening  me  at  this  moment  —  and  says  he 
will  redeem  the  honor  of  the  Mexican  arms  if  we  will 
pay  him  a  visit  at  San  Luis.  He  well  knows  it  is  al 
most  impossible  for  an  army  drawing  its  supplies 
from  the  rear  to  march  upon  that  place.  .  .  .  The 
intelligent  portion  of  the  Mexican  population  are  of 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  81 

the  opinion,  and  express  it  to  us  without  reserve,  that 
the  war  is  wicked  and  aggressive  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States.  They  claim  that  Texas  never  extended 
farther  than  the  Nueces,  and  say  that  it  would  have 
been  yielded  to  that  river  without  opposition.  The 
inhabitants  generally  have  not  suffered  by  the  war, 
but  on  the  contrary  have  profited  by  it,  while  the 
army,  it  is  said,  are  strong  advocates  for  negotiation. 
If  this  war  is  to  be  protracted  by  the  obstinacy  of  this 
people,  I  hope  and  expect  to  see  the  City  of  Mexico 
in  another  twelve  months.  .  .  . 

SALTILLO, 
December  16,  1846. 

.  .  .  There  is  very  little  of  interest  to  write  of  from 
this  place,  where  we  are  probably  stationed  for  some 
months,  with  no  prospect  of  another  action  until  the 
rainy  season,  when  armies  can  march  without  dying 
of  thirst.  We  do  not  expect  peace,  although  as  the 
Mexican  Congress  is  now  in  session  the  question  must 
soon  be  settled.  It  is  perfectly  healthy  here,  the  nights 
quite  cold.  .  .  .  Some  of  the  customs  of  these  people 
seem  very  strange.  Their  funeral  ceremonies  are  at 
least  remarkable.  A  few  days  since  I  observed  a 
funeral  procession  with  the  body  laid  upon  the  bier, 
decorated  with  ostrich  plumes,  wax  candles,  etc.,  and 
in  front  of  it  were  three  fiddlers  playing  away  as  hard 
as  they  could  scrape.  Upon  inquiring  of  Don  Luis, 
a  Mexican  merchant,  what  it  meant,  he  said  they  were 


82  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Penablas.  The  Penablas  are  the  remnant  of  an  Indian 
tribe  who  occupy  a  portion  of  the  city  by  themselves. 
They  are  civilized  and  a  stranger  would  find  it  very 
difficult  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Mexicans.  A 
few  days  ago  I  saw  a  woman,  poor  superstitious  crea 
ture,  going  on  her  knees  with  a  lighted  candle  in  her 
hand.  She  crawled  across  the  plaza  and  down  a  paved 
street  in  this  way  as  far  as  I  could  see.  It  was  un 
doubtedly  a  penance  ordered  by  the  padre. 

Cock  fighting  is  quite  the  rage  among  these  semi- 
barbarians.  Yesterday  I  rode  into  a  cock  pit,  and  you 
may  imagine  my  astonishment  when  I  beheld  the  old 
priest  presiding,  receiving  the  bets,  and  heeling  the 
chickens,  as  putting  on  the  iron  spurs  or  slashers  is 
technically  called.  I  am  told  that  this  is  nothing  un 
common,  that  on  any  Sunday  afternoon  I  may  find 
them  thus  engaged. 

I  wish  you  could  take  a  peep  into  my  quarters.  I 
have  mentioned  in  a  previous  letter  that  I  live  in  a 
store  attached  to  the  house  of  a  very  respectable  man, 
Don  Ramoon  Flores,  once  Governor  of  the  Depart 
ment.  N—  -  sleeps  on  one  end  of  the  counter  and 
on  the  other  I  lay  my  bones  at  night.  M—  -  lives 
in  the  counting-room  where  also  we  set  our  table. 
Senor  Flores  is  very  polite  and  occasionally  sends  us 
a  nice  dish  from  his  table,  a  bowl  of  delicious  preserved 
grapes,  or  some  excellent  quince  jam.  The  old  gentle 
man  is  now  absent  at  his  hacienda,  distant  about 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  83 

thirty  leagues.  He  has  gone  for  his  wife  and  daughters, 
who  were  sent  there  on  the  approach  of  our  army. 
He  has  found  that  we  treat  them  kindly,  "  the  big 
scare  "  is  over  and  he  is  not  afraid  to  bring  the  young 
ladies  back.  He  will  probably  return  in  four  or  five 
days,  when,  as  I  am  quite  a  favorite,  I  intend  seeing 
something  of  ladies'  society  here,  which  I  haven't  yet 
had  an  opportunity  to  do.  It  is  almost  certain  now 
that  General  Taylor  will  make  this  his  headquarters. 
.  .  .  The  General  is  now  gone  to  Victoria  where  he 
will  leave  a  strong  force.  General  Wool  is  at  Parras, 
ninety- two  miles  to  the  west  with  two  thousand  men. 
Lieutenant  Franklin  came  in  from  that  place  yester 
day  and  says  they  expect  to  be  attacked  there  before 
long.  (I  don't  believe  they  will.)  The  old  year  is  fast 
passing.  In  twenty  days  it  will  have  yielded  its  place 
to  forty-seven  !  .  .  . 

STEAMBOAT  "  ROUGH  AND  READY," 
JUST  BELOW  THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  SAN  JUAN, 
January  22,  1847. 

On  the  morning  of  the  eighth  we  but  little  dreamed 
of  being  ordered  to  leave  Saltillo,  where  you  have 
learned  from  my  letters  we  were  pleasantly  quartered. 
I  certainly  was  nearly  domesticated  in  the  family  of 
Don  Ramoon  Flores.  After  dinner  I  had  lain  down 
upon  my  counter  to  take  a  siesta  and  had  hardly  Com 
posed  myself,  when  to  my  surprise  my  friend,  Lieu 
tenant  A of  the  Dragoons,  roused  me  with  the 


84  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

cry:  "  Up!  you  will  be  on  the  march  in  an  hour." 
He  had  just  arrived  from  Camargo  with  dispatches 
from  General  Scott,  and  though  his  lips  were  sealed 
by  the  General's  orders,  I  heard  enough  to  convince 
me  we  were  to  go  to  the  coast.  Major  Staniford 
came  to  my  quarters  immediately  after,  briefly  order 
ing  before  he  put  spurs  to  his  horse:  "Have  your 
company  ready  to  march  in  thirty  minutes."  Our 
preparations  were  soon  made,  and  I  left  Saltillo  where 
I  had  been  almost  two  months,  with  more  regret  than 
I  should  any  other  place  where  I  have  been  in  Mexico. 
The  inhabitants  had  rapidly  gained  confidence  in  the 
regulars  and  were  much  alarmed  when  they  found  we 
were  about  leaving  them  to  the  mercy  of  the  volun 
teers,  of  whom  they  have  the  utmost  dread,  and  by 
whom  they  are  generally  treated  with  the  utmost 
barbarity.  I  have  kept  a  sort  of  diary  since  I  left  the 
city  of  fountains,  and  although  it  contains  nothing 
of  much  interest,  I  will  transcribe  it  for  you. 

January  g.  Our  regiment  under  Major  Staniford 
left  Saltillo  about  one  in  the  afternoon,  preceded  by 
the  artillery  battalion  under  Brevet  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Childs,  which  started  at  seven  in  the  morning 
with  Duncan's  light  artillery.  Three  companies  of 
the  Sixth  Infantry  were  encamped  five  miles  from 
town.  We  passed  them  and  bivouacked  after  dark 
on  a  creek  thirteen  miles  from  the  city.  This  stream 
with  other  rivulets  rises  in  the  springs  around  Saltillo 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  85 

forming  the  head  waters  of  the  San  Juan.  The  night 
was  dark,  the  clouds  threatened  rain,  which  fell  before 
morning  in  torrents,  —  the  first  shower  in  two  months. 
Many  of  the  officers,  relying  on  the  uniform  dryness 
of  the  weather,  neglected  to  pitch  their  tents.  I,  how 
ever,  believing  that  everything  in  Mexico  is  deceptive, 
pitched  mine  in  which  Lieutenants  Rossell,  Farelly, 
and  myself  spread  our  blankets,  and  would  have  slept 
comfortably  if  Butler's  volunteers  had  not  made  so 
much  noise  that  the  poppy  god  took  flight  till  after 
midnight.  Reveille  was  beaten  before  four  o'clock, 
but  at  a  still  earlier  hour  the  rain  drove  several  of  my 
brother  officers  to  my  tent  for  shelter,  and  their  com 
plaints  and  jokes  broke  my  rest  for  the  residue  of  the 
night.  They  were  "  dimnition,  damp,  cold,  disagree 
able  bodies,"  and  my  liquor  case  suffered  a  fearful 
diminution  in  warming  up  their  shivering  clay. 

January  10.  At  six,  though  still  dark,  we  began 
our  march  and  at  ten  in  the  morning  reached  the  little 
village  of  Los  Muertes.  This  small  town  which,  when 
we  passed  before,  was  filled  with  smiling  inhabitants, 
now  presented  a  sad  picture  of  the  desolation  produced 
by  war.  The  people  were  all  gone,  not  one  left,  driven 
off  by  the  volunteers,  the  houses  in  ruins,  the  shade 
trees  girdled  or  cut  down,  and  the  ground  strewed  by 
the  carcasses  of  dead  horses  and  mules.  It  was  a  dark, 
drizzling  day  and  was  altogether  a  sad,  desolate  scene. 
The  little  river  was  alone  unchanged.  Its  clear  waters 


86  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

rippled  over  their  gravelly  bed  with  the  same  cheerful 
sound.  At  half-past  eleven  we  arrived  at  the  famous 
pass  of  Los  Muertes  —  the  dividing  line  between  the 
Departments  of  Coahuilla  and  New  Leon.  At  one 
we  encamped  at  Riconada.  Here  two  months  ago 
was  a  beautiful  village,  but  all  is  now  as  at  Los  Muertes 
marked  by  the  desolating  hand  of  war.  It  rained 
nearly  all  the  afternoon  but  we  had  plenty  of  wood, 
a  rare  thing  in  Mexico,  and  our  bright  blazing  camp 
fires  soon  made  us  all  comparatively  comfortable. 
The  three  companies  of  the  Sixth  overtook  us  here, 
and  the  artillery  battalions  are  but  a  short  distance 
in  advance.  I  find  my  pony's  back  very  sore,  and 
shall  be  compelled  to  foot  it  tomorrow.  .  .  . 

January  n.  Struck  our  tents  and  marched  at 
six.  It  was  a  cold  day,  the  ground  frozen  for  ten 
miles.  General  Worth  overtook  us  at  twelve,  and  we 
encamped  four  miles  from  Monterey  at  three  o'clock, 
having  marched  a  distance  estimated  at  twenty- 
six  miles.  A  very  fatiguing  day,  most  of  the  men 
footsore.  The  Second  Dragoons  passed  us  about 
five  o'clock. 

January  12.  We  were  en  route  by  break  of  day, 
preceded  by  the  artillery  battalion  which  we  passed 
last  evening.  Our  road  was  not  only  interesting  from 
the  sublime  scenery  on  either  hand,  but  it  passed 
directly  through  the  battle  fields  of  the  twenty-first, 
twenty-second,  and  twenty-third  of  September,  leav 
ing  Fort  Soldado  which  was  carried  by  the  Fifth  at 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  87 

the  point  of  the  bayonet  on  our  right,  and  the  Bishop's 
palace  in  the  storming  of  which  they  assisted  on  the 
left.  As  I  marched  over  this  ground  on  the  flank  of 
my  company  I  was  struck  by  the  remarks  of  the  old 
soldiers  as  they  pointed  out  to  the  recruits  the  places 
where  remarkable  events  had  occurred  during  the 
battles.  Passed  through  Monterey  and  halted  at 
Walnut  Springs  about  eleven  in  the  morning.  Since 
we  left  for  Saltillo,  the  burial  places  of  those  who  fell 
at  the  storming  of  Monterey  have  been  handsomely 
enclosed  in  walls  of  cut  stone  surrounding  an  area  of  a 
few  rods.  There  are  two  of  them,  in  one  are  the  offi 
cers,  in  the  other  lie  the  bones  of  the  enlisted  men. 
Each  has  in  the  centre  of  the  front  wall  a  square 
column  surmounted  by  a  heavy  cross.  Here  is  also 
a  cross  at  the  head  of  each  grave  on  which  the  name 
of  the  occupant  is  rudely  carved.  After  a  short  halt 
at  Walnut  Springs  we  proceeded  on  our  march  and 
encamped  near  the  village  of  San  Francisco,  having 
made  thirteen  miles. 

January  ij.  Crossed  the  San  Juan  two  miles  from 
Marina  which  town  we  passed  at  twelve  noon,  and 
encamped  at  a  small  stream,  Agua  Negra,  the  entire 
distance  variously  estimated  from  eighteen  to  twenty- 
two  miles.  The  day  was  hot  and  much  detention  arose 
from  bad  places  in  the  road  at  one  of  which  the  staff 
wagon  was  upset. 

January  14.  Our  march  began  at  the  usual  hour, 
we  passed  Ramos  and  encamped  before  twelve  noon 


88  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

on  a  small  brook  near  Papa  Gallos,  having  made  but 
nine  miles.  We  were  halted  thus  early  because  we 
heard  that  the  streams  and  springs  were  dry,  so  that 
the  first  water  we  shall  find  is  twenty  miles  from  this 
place. 

January  15.  Marched  two  hours  before  sunrise. 
Twelve  miles  from  our  starting  place  we  crossed  the 
Arroyo  Mujares  (Woman's  Creek)  where  two  months 
since  there  was  a  fine  spring  and  plenty  of  water,  but 
we  found  it  dry  and  toiled  on  six  miles  farther  to 
Carrista  before  we  found  any  good  water.  The  weather 
oppressively  hot,  the  road  dusty  and  very  rough.  In 
the  morning  the  Sixth  Infantry  overtook  us  and  I 
was  surprised  to  see  Adam  Miller,  a  drummer  in  one 
of  the  companies.  I  discharged  him  in  June  with 
more  than  two  hundred  dollars  in  his  possession  and 
started  him  for  home  (Rochester).  He  spent  his 
money  and  re-enlisted,  the  fool  !  We  reached  our 
camp  at  Cerralvo  about  four  o'clock,  having  marched 
twenty-five  miles.  .  .  .  Cerralvo  is  a  beautiful  Mexi 
can  town  on  a  clear  swift  stream  which  finds  its  source 
in  some  large  springs  about  a  mile  distant.  Near  are 
some  rich  old  silver  mines  which  have  not  been  worked 
recently.  We,  however,  saw  signs  in  the  mountains 
which  convinced  us  that  the  miners  have  begun  their 
labors  again. 

January  16.  Left  Cerralvo  before  sunrise,  marched 
twelve  miles  to  Punta  Aguada,  the  headquarters  of 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  89 

the  famous  Ranchero  chief,  Canales.  The  town  con 
tained  several  hundred  inhabitants  before  the  war, 
but  they  have  all  been  driven  off  by  the  volunteers. 
It  is  situated  on  a  small  stream  which  is  crossed 
at  our  encampment  by  a  dam  beautifully  built  of 
cut  stone  and  Roman  cement.  The  entire  division 
encamps  together  tonight. 

January  17.  Left  camp  at  half -past  five  and  were 
halted  before  twelve  on  the  same  stream  at  which  we 
encamped  last  night,  having  marched  sixteen  miles. 
This  stream  at  Punta  Aguada  is  called  Agua  Largo 
and  is  the  Alamo  on  which  stands  Mier,  near  its  junc 
tion  with  the  Rio  Grande.  Next  day  we  marched 
through  Mier  and  encamped  five  miles  beyond  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  Grande.  We  heard  today,  January 
18,  that  we  were  to  descend  the  river  from  Camargo 
in  boats  and  I  hope  it  may  prove  true.  Mier  is  the 
scene  of  the  famous  Texan  battle,  I  believe  the  only 
one  on  record  in  which  a  victorious  army  surrendered 
to  the  vanquished,  in  the  moment  of  success,  which 
was  actually  the  case  on  the  occasion  to  which  I 
allude.  I  have  just  taken  a  refreshing  bath  in  the 
river  and  feel  like  a  new  man.  I  picked  from  the 
margin  a  beautiful  little  daisy  in  blossom.  .  .  .  Our 
encampment  is  near  an  extensive  hacienda.  When 
we  passed  before  there  were  evidences  of  more  virtue 
and  comfort  than  is  usual  in  a  Mexican  settlement. 
Now  their  houses  and  fences  are  broken,  their  cattle 


go  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

and  flocks  destroyed  by  the  troops  who  have  passed, 
and  an  old  man  has  just  told  me  that  to  complete 
their  misery,  the  Comanches  recently  assailed  them 
taking  what  little  they  had  left,  and  carrying  off  some 
of  their  women  and  children  into  endless  captivity. 
Before  morning,  January  19,  we  had  a  regular  norther. 
The  wind  pierced  us  to  the  very  marrow  but  notwith 
standing  the  weather  our  reveille  was  beaten  at  half- 
past  two  and  we  broke  up  our  encampment  and 
marched  before  five.  The  morning  was  as  dark  as 
possible,  and  how  we  got  along  over  our  wild  path 
for  more  than  an  hour,  I  cannot  tell,  for  actually  a 
man  couldn't  see  his  file  leader.  We,  however, 
stumbled  along  until  after  daybreak,  blindly  groping 
our  way  through  the  drifting  sand.  We  reached 
Camargo  about  eleven  in  the  morning  and  made  our 
encampment  on  the  barren,  dusty  plain  amid  the  filth 
and  dust  of  the  old  camping  grounds.  We  have  made 
a  remarkable  march.  It  will  not  be  ten  days  until 
one  o'clock  since  we  left  Saltillo,  two  hundred  miles 
distant.  Why  has  this  rapid  march  been  made  ?  is  the 
question  in  every  one's  mouth.  No  one  knows,  but 
all  believe  that  an  army  is  rapidly  concentrating  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  which  with  the  troops  at 
Tampico  under  General  Scott  are  to  attempt  the 
capture  of  San  Juan  D'Ulloa.  Our  camp  is  the  most 
watched  place  imaginable,  the  storm  continues  un 
abated  and  the  filthy  debris  of  numerous  previous 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  91 

camps  ground  to  dust  is  whirling  about  us;  it  is  really 
insupportable  !  I  wish  I  was  "  to  hum." 

January  20  and  21 .  We  are  still  lying  in  camp  wait 
ing  for  a  boat  to  take  us  down  the  river.  The  last 
artillery  battalion  and  Marcy's  company  of  our  regi 
ment  have  embarked  this  evening.  The  talk  is  all  of 
peace  in  camp  this  evening.  It  is  said  the  Mexican 
Congress  are  disposed  to  accept  our  terms,  and  General 
Scott  before  he  left  said  that  if  a  peace  was  concluded, 
the  Fifth  would  go  back  to  their  old  Lake  Stations. 
I  place  but  little  faith  in  any  of  it  —  it  promises  too 
much  happiness  to  be  true. 

January  22.  At  reveille  we  found  our  boat,  the 
"  Rough  and  Ready,"  had  arrived  and  we  prepared 
to  embark.  At  two  in  the  afternoon  we  were  paddling 
down  stream  all  congratulating  ourselves  on  our  good 
quarters  and  on  our  escape  from  Camargo,  certainly 
the  most  filthy  and  disgusting  place  on  this  dirty 
earth.  The  twenty-third  and  twenty-fourth  we  still 
continued  down  the  river  with  no  incidents  of  im 
portance,  often  bringing  up  with  a  terrible  crash  on  a 
sand  bar  or  bumping  our  nose  in  some  short  turn 
against  the  shore.  This  evening  as  usual  we  tied  up 
at  a  wood  yard  where  we  remain  until  morning. 
There  is  an  extensive  hacienda  at  this  place,  and  the 
young  officers  collected  the  Sefioras  for  a  ball.  The 
dance  continued  until  eleven  o'clock.  We  reached 
Matamoras  January  25  about  three  o'clock.  .  .  .  We 


92  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

are  all  anxious  to  hear  what  Congress  are  doing, 
hoping  they  will  pass  the  bill  for  a  "  retired  "  list  for 
"  worn  out "  officers  and  that  they  will  not  pass  the 
bill  increasing  the  number  of  regiments,  as  a  reduc 
tion  must  follow  a  peace.  We  are  lying  by,  a  few 
miles  from  the  spot  selected  for  our  encampment, 
which  is  about  forty  miles  by  water  from  the  mouth. 
The  river  is  exceedingly  crooked,  in  one  place  after 
having  gone  sixty  miles  you  are  only  three  miles  from 
the  starting  point.  The  entire  distance  from  Camargo 
to  the  mouth  is  estimated  at  four  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  by  water,  while  by  land  it  is  less  than  two  hun 
dred.  Tonight  all  doubt  as  to  our  destination  is 
removed  —  we  are  to  go  to  Vera  Cruz. 

January  26.  I  feel  very  much  indisposed  to  write 
even  the  few  lines  required  for  my  diary.  An  ugly 
norther  is  blowing  and  I  am  tired  and  sick,  my  tent 
is  cold  and  it  is  half-past  ten  at  night.  If,  however, 
I  suffer  myself  to  neglect  my  diary  once,  I  should  soon 
give  it  up  entirely.  We  got  up  steam  and  ran  down 
to  our  camping  ground,  landed  at  eight  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  made  our  camp  on  the  left  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry,  the  artillery  battalion  on  the  extreme  right 
and  the  Sixth  and  Eighth  Infantry  will  encamp  on 
our  left  when  they  arrive.  We  found  a  mail  for  us 
here.  .  .  .  We  hear  of  the  probable  passage  of  several 
army  bills,  such  as  the  Retired  List,  Extra  Major, 
Increase  by  Ten  Regiments,  etc.,  and  all  are  now 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  93 

speculating  upon  the  promotions,  but  nothing  can 
be  determined  until  we  see  the  laws.  My  friends  here 
are  of  the  opinion  that  both  Marcy  and  myself  will 
be  brevetted.  I  will  not,  however,  permit  myself  to 
form  any  expectations  which  may  result  in  disap 
pointment.  We  shall  probably  remain  here  some  two 
or  three  weeks,  and  I  trust  shall  hear  something 
definite  before  we  embark  for  our  campaign  at  Vera 
Cruz. 

Our  ground  here  is  admirably  adapted  for  an  en 
campment.  It  is  a  plain  on  the  United  States  side  of 
the  river,  covered  by  a  short  close  grass  and  there's 
an  abundance  of  wood. 

CAMP  PALO  ALTO, 
January  27,    1847. 

Our  camp  takes  its  name  from  the  battle  field  which 
is  but  a  few  miles  distant.  Near  us  was  the  first 
pitched  battle  of  the  war;  when,  and  where,  will  be 
the  last  ?  Quien  sabe?  The  better  we  have  become 
acquainted  with  the  people  and  the  Mexican  character, 
the  more  assured  we  all  feel  that  the  course  pursued 
by  our  government  is  only  calculated  to  protract  the 
war.  Proud,  overbearing,  ignorant,  superstitious,  and 
cruel  in  the  extreme  in  their  own  wars,  they  do  not  in 
the  least  comprehend  our  temporizing  forbearance. 
If,  from  the  moment  of  invasion,  instead  of  paying 
them  two  prices  for  everything  our  army  wanted,  we 
had  laid  waste  their  country,  taking  their  horses, 


94  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

mules,  herds,  and  crops,  as  they  might  have  been 
required,  leaving  the  sufferers  to  seek  indemnification 
from  their  own  government;  if,  instead  of  extend 
ing  kindness  and  protection  to  the  inhabitants,  we 
had  carried  fire  and  sword  into  the  heart  of  their 
country;  if,  instead  of  sending  commissioners  to  treat 
asking  for  peace,  and  offering  millions  to  make  it, 
we  had  done  all  in  our  power  to  distress  and  harass 
them,  treating  them  as  a  nation  with  contempt,  they 
would  not  have  thought  as  they  now  do,  that  we 
feared  them;  that  the  Whig  party  in  our  country 
were  opposing  the  war,  and  about  to  leave  the  Execu 
tive  without  the  means  to  prosecute  it.  They  would 
have  felt  that  they  had  no  hope  but  in  the  successful 
operations  of  a  campaign  opposed  to  the  entire 
strength  of  the  United  States.  What  their  prospects 
would  have  been  in  such  a  case,  their  leaders  and 
statesmen  well  know,  and  I  believe  that  peace  on 
advantageous  terms  would  have  been  offered.  Now 
we  must  fight  it  out  with  but  little  hope  of  a  termina 
tion  of  the  struggle  in  many  years.  ...  A  few  words 
in  apology  for  my  journal.  It  has  been  written  from 
day  to  day  with  a  stump  of  a  pencil,  often  on  my  knee 
in  my  tent  at  night  after  a  fatiguing  march,  when  I 
was  cold,  weary  and  disgusted  with  everything  in 
this  miserable  world.  There  is  scarcely  a  line  of 
interest  in  it.  However,  I  send  it  knowing  that  you 
will  value  it  though  it  is  unfit  for  any  other  eye,  - 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  95 

but  perhaps  at  some  future  day  it  will  serve  to  recall 
scenes  to  my  mind  which  otherwise  would  be  forgotten. 
Do  not  let  your  partiality  induce  you  to  believe  it  is 
fit  for  general  perusal.  .  .  . 

[Fragments    from    the    continuation    of   the    journal    up    to 
February  i.J 

I  am  on  a  General  Court  Martial  for  the  trial  of 
Lieutenant  A —  -  and  such  other  prisoners  as  may 
be  brought  before  it.  The  court  sits  without  regard 
to  hours,  everything  being  ordered  to  be  dispatched 
rapidly  to  get  the  division  ready  to  embark  for  parts 
unknown.  ...  In  court  today  from  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning  until  five  in  the  afternoon.  .  .  .  Orders 
were  received  today  (January  31)  from  General  Scott 
for  the  division  to  embark  as  soon  as  practicable 
on  the  transports.  The  fleet  under  convoy  to  as 
semble  under  the  lea  of  the  Island  of  Lobos.  I  do 
not  know  its  position  with  any  certainty,  but  am  told 
it  is  about  one  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  Vera 
Cruz. 

February  i.  Lieutenant  Ritchie  of  our  regiment, 
it  is  reported,  has  been  cut  off  by  the  enemy.  He 
was  bearing  dispatches  from  General  Scott  to  Gen 
eral  Taylor,  and  was  lassoed.  Thus  all  the  plans 
of  the  campaign  have  been  obtained  by  the  enemy. 
The  first  command  under  Brevet  Lieu  tenant- Colonel 
Childs  was  ordered  to  Brasos  last  evening  to  embark. 
They  are  for  special  service.  The  mail  arrived  today 


g  6  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

and  we  hear  that  the  Army  Bill  has  passed  extra 
majors  and  all  excluding  the  lieutenant-general  ! 
Our  prospects  in  the  army,  I  think,  grow  more  gloomy 
every  day.  Not  only  does  peace  seem  to  be  more 
distant,  but  when  it  does  come  we  are  in  danger  of 
being  disbanded.  I  almost  envy  the  old  and  disabled 
officers,  and  sometimes  almost  wish  that  a  respectable 
wound  would  enable  me  to  quit  the  field.  I  should 
like  to  spend  the  remnant  of  my  days  in  the  bosom  of 
my  beloved  family,  in  the  quiet  of  some  neat  country 
place  raising  my  own  cabbages  a  la  Van  Buren  ! 
What  a  picture  my  fancy  paints,  never,  alas,  to  be 
realized  !  I  must  still  go  on  in  my  thankless  and 
perilous  profession.  I  ought  not,  however,  to  com 
plain.  For  twenty  years  I  have  worn  the  sword  with 
out  facing  an  enemy.  A  few  years  of  war  will  only 
fit  me  for  a  respectable  old  age,  or  put  to  rest  my 
unquiet  spirit  forever. 

February  j.  The  rest  of  the  Eighth  Infantry 
arrived  this  morning  so  that  the  entire  division  is 
now  ready  to  embark.  This  afternoon  a  violent  north 
wind  has  been  blowing  and  it  is  growing  cold  very  fast. 
It  will  be  almost  insupportable  before  morning.  We 
cannot  embark  till  the  wind  moderates.  I  am  field 
officer  of  the  day,  and  am  shivering  in  my  tent  over 
a  pan  of  coals,  having  to  sit  up  this  cheerless  night, 
at  least  until  a  late  hour.  I  have  just  visited  the  long 
chain  of  sentinels  around  this  camp.  The  night  is 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  97 

gloomy  and  nothing  breaks  the  silence  of  the  sleeping 
army  but  the  wolves  which  are  howling  in  the  im 
mediate  neighborhood.  .  .  . 

February  4.  We  are  still  lying  in  Camp  Palo  Alto 
and  I  see  no  immediate  prospect  of  our  departing. 
The  weather  is  boisterous  and  it  is  impossible  to  em 
bark  on  this  coast  except  in  a  calm.  There  is  no  har 
bor  and  it  is  at  all  times  a  difficult  and  dangerous 
operation  for  vessels  of  heavy  draught.  The  large 
transports  are  anchored  in  the  offing  and  the  troops 
and  baggage  are  necessarily  put  on  board  by  small 
steamers.  The  coast  is  straight,  the  shore  gradually 
shelves  off  to  deep  water  and  in  the  most  quiet  times 
there  is  a  heavy  ground  swell.  There  is  a  report  in 
camp  today,  which  from  its  source  is  entitled  to  some 
credit,  that  a  detachment  of  eighty  volunteers  with 
Cassius  M.  Clay  and  two  majors,  whose  names  I  do 
not  know,  has  been  captured  near  Saltillo.  .  .  . 

February  5.  The  Eighth  Infantry  left  for  the  mouth 
of  the  river  this  morning.  My  old  friend,  Colonel  N. 
S.  Clarke,  has  joined  his  regiment  and  assumed  com 
mand  of  the  camp.  We  are  informed  by  an  order  that 
but  little  transportation  will  be  furnished  after  leaving 
the  vessels  so  that  we  must  reduce  our  baggage  to  the 
minimum.  The  design  evidently  is  to  push  us  lightly 
equipped  and  in  the  most  rapid  manner  in  pursuit  of 
the  enemy,  in  the  hope  of  finding  him  unprepared,  — 
a  vain  expectation  in  my  opinion.  I  believe  Santa 


98  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Anna  knows  well  what  we  are  doing,  and  I  shall  be 
agreeably  surprised  if  we  do  not  meet  a  large  army  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Vera  Cruz.  Neither  do  I  believe 
San  Juan  or  the  city  will  fall  without  a  desperate  re 
sistance,  nor  do  I  believe  the  Mexicans  will  make 
peace  with  us  when  we  have  taken  those  places.  Two 
months  will  show.  Hope  and  pray  for  the  best.  .  .  . 
There  is  confirmation  today  of  the  reported  capture 
of  C.  M.  Clay.  The  two  majors  were  Gaines  and 
Borland  of  the  Kentucky  cavalry.  The  disaster 
occurred  at  a  spot  called  Encarnacion.  They  were 
entirely  surrounded  and  did  not  fire  a  gun. 

February  6.  Today  the  report  has  a  new  phase. 
It  is  said  that  Clay  and  Gaines  are  not  prisoners,  - 
only  Major  Borland  is  with  a  much  smaller  party  than 
at  first  reported.  You  will  think  I  only  make  state 
ments  one  day  to  contradict  them  the  next,  but  Dame 
Rumor  leads  us  astray  and  I  only  record  each  night 
what  I  believe.  Young  Ritchie  of  our  regiment, 
whose  sad  fate  I  have  mentioned,  was  a  most  amiable 
youth.  The  particulars  of  his  death  have  reached  us 
today.  With  his  escort  of  Dragoons  he  arrived  at  a 
small  place  called  Villa  Rosa,  halted  his  party  in  the 
skirt  of  the  village,  and  alone  (dreadful  imprudence) 
went  in  for  refreshments.  After  supping,  he  left  the 
house  and  had  proceeded  but  a  few  steps  when  a  lasso 
was  thrown  over  his  head,  he  was  drawn  into  a  yard 
and  killed  with  his  own  sword.  His  body  was  found 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  99 

a  day  or  two  after  by  Captain  Graham  of  the  Dra 
goons.  .  .  . 

February  8.  The  Fourth  Infantry  under  Colonel 
Garland  left  here  this  morning  and  will  probably  em 
bark  at  Brasos  tomorrow.  We  have  not  been  notified 
who  will  go  next,  —  if  it  is  our  regiment  we  shall 
leave  early  in  the  morning  as  we  hear  several  ships 
are  now  in  the  offing.  General  Scott  has  been  much 
annoyed  at  the  delay.  The  vessels  ought  all  to  have 
been  here  more  than  a  fortnight  ago.  Such  an  error 
may  possibly  defeat  the  entire  object  of  the  expedi 
tion,  be  it  what  it  may,  for  none  of  us  know  with 
certainty,  though  it  is  evident  that  dispatch  and  sur 
prise  are  among  its  principal  elements.  The  weather 
is  now  delightfully  warm.  Merrill  and  I  took  a  fine 
swim  in  the  river  before  dinner.  Can  you  realize 
amid  your  frost  and  snow  that  I  am  bathing  without 
discomfort  in  the  Rio  Grande  ?  .  .  .  Nearly  three 
weeks  delay  here  must  be  enough  to  madden  General 
Scott.  Corporal  Riley  of  my  company  lost  his  young 
est  child  this  morning,  about  a  year  old.  I  went  to 
his  tent  before  noon  and  found  the  mother,  an  ex 
cellent  little  woman  whom  he  married  at  Dearborn 
Arsenal,  sitting  with  her  dead  baby  in  her  lap,  the 
tears  quietly  dropping  on  its  face.  ...  A  ridiculous 
story  is  in  the  Matamoras  Flag  of  today  that 
Santa  Anna  and  Arista  have  had  a  quarrel  in  which 
Santa  Anna  was  killed.  I  mention  it  as  it  will  be 


ioo  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

quoted  in  the  newspapers.  It  is  undoubtedly  all 
"  buncombe."  .  .  .  We  have  just  heard  that  a  trans 
port  having  on  board  four  companies  of  Louisiana 
volunteers  has  been  wrecked  below  Tampico.  It  is 
feared  that  they  have  been  taken  prisoners  and  Colonel 
De  Renssy  with  them.  Thus  this  expedition  has  be 
gun  in  delay  and  disaster.  I  trust  it  is  no  type  of  its 
ending.  .  .  . 

February  14.  The  order  to  embark  came  this  eve 
ning.  Our  heavy  baggage  is  on  board  the  boat  which 
will  take  us  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  our  camp 
breaks  up  at  daylight.  As  we  are  the  last  detachment 
we  shall  probably  get  on  board  our  transport  by  day 
after  tomorrow,  and  proceed  at  once  to  the  rendezvous 
at  Lobos.  .  .  . 

February  75.  Our  camp  broke  up  at  three  o'clock 
this  morning  and  in  the  good  steamer  "  Rough  and 
Ready  "  we  reached  this  place,  Boca  del  Rio  Grande, 
at  eleven  in  the  morning.  Our  camp  is  pitched  upon 
the  seashore,  the  ever  beating  surf  in  all  its  beauty 
is  scattering  its  foam  over  the  beach  within  a  few  feet 
of  my  tent,  while  over  the  broad  Gulf  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach  are  anchored  vessels  of  every  size,  from 
the  light  schooner,  with  its  raking  masts,  to  the 
mighty  man-of-war  whose  heavy  spars  and  black  hull 
are  barely  visible  as  they  roll  on  the  main  far  out  at 
sea.  About  us  are  the  tents  of  more  than  two  thou 
sand  troops,  light  artillery,  cavalry,  rifles,  infantry, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  101 

all  bound  for  the  great  scene  towards  which  we  are 
looking  with  anxiety. 

February  16.  Last  night  I  had  no  idea  we  would 
leave  Boca  del  Rio  for  twenty-four  hours,  but  I  was 
roused  after  a  restless  night  at  an  early  hour  this 
morning  by  Major  Scott's  orderly,  and  on  reporting 
to  the  Major  I  was  informed  that  the  regiment  was 
to  march  to  Brasos  Santiago  and  that  as  the  transport 
ship  designated  for  the  Fifth  would  carry  but  four 
hundred  rank  and  file,  the  remainder  were  to  be  left 
to  compose  a  portion  of  a  battalion  to  be  formed  from 
the  disjecta  membra  of  the  army.  I  declined  the 
honor,  and  remonstrated  against  being  detailed  to 
command  this  portion,  and  Scott l  insisted.  I  referred 
the  matter  to  the  next  higher  authority,  Colonel 
Harvey,  stating  that  if  it  was  a  higher  command  than 
that  ordinarily  bestowed  upon  a  captain,  it  belonged 
to  Merrill,  the  acting  major  of  the  regiment,  and 
if  less  than  a  captain's  command,  Major  Scott  had 
no  right  to  degrade  me,  that  from  the  roster  it  could 
not  be  my  detail  as  I  was  last  on  detached  service  — 
commanding  the  escort  from  Camargo  to  Monterey. 
It  was  decided  in  my  favor,  and  Rossell  was  detailed 
for  the  service.  We  marched  at  two  in  the  afternoon. 
Our  route  lay  immediately  on  the  beach  each  wave 
dashing  around  our  ankles  as  we  moved  over  the 
damp  sand  on  the  margin.  We  crossed  Boca  Chico, 
1  Major  Martin  Scott,  Fifth  Infantry. 


102  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  strait  which  separates  Brasos  St.  lago  from  the 
mainland,  on  a  foot  bridge  carrying  our  baggage  by 
hand  and  reloading  in  other  teams  on  the  other  side. 
This  was  a  tedious  and  laborious  process  detaining 
us  two  hours.  The  whole  march  was  nine  miles  and 
we  arrived  at  Brasos  St.  lago  just  at  sunset.  We  are 
to  embark  early  in  the  morning,  if  there  is  no  norther, 
on  the  ship  "Huron,"  seven  hundred  tons,  which  is  an 
chored  some  five  or  six  miles  seaward.  We  heard  this  eve 
ning  from  Tampico  Colonel  De  Renssy  with  his  little 
battalion  escaped  from  General  Coz  who  surrounded 
him  with  a  large  force  after  his  shipwreck.  Colonel 
De  Renssy  held  the  Mexicans  at  bay,  though  the 
arms  of  his  troops,  if  they  had  any,  must  have  been 
unserviceable,  and  at  night,  leaving  large  camp  fires, 
gave  them  the  slip  arriving  by  a  forced  march  safely 
at  Tampico.  .  .  .  There  is  a  report  tonight  that 
General  Taylor  has  had  a  severe  fight,  the  particulars 
and  result  not  known.  .  .  . 

CAMP  AT  BRASOS  ST.  IAGO, 
February  17,  1847. 

I  closed  my  letter  yesterday  just  after  our  arrival 
at  this  place.  After  writing,  I  went  to  an  oyster  house 
with  my  second  lieutenant,  Farrelly,  where  we  took 
as  many  of  the  natives  as  was  convenient.  They  were 
excellent  and  were  a  real  treat  after  the  hard  bread 
and  pork  on  which  we  have  been  regaling  for  months. 
This  morning  at  daylight  we  struck  our  tents  and 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  103 

prepared  to  embark  immediately.  The  wind  rose, 
however,  before  the  lighters  were  ready  for  us,  and 
we  again  encamped.  I  was  sent  to  Point  Isabel  with 
a  few  men  to  search  for  deserters.  I  had  a  pleasant 
sail  in  a  small  sloop,  found  Dr.  Wood  there  in  fine 
health,  and  old  —  — ,  bewigged  and  as  complimentary 
as  of  yore,  transacted  my  business  and  returned  by 
two  in  the  afternoon  to  Brasos. 

This  large  Depot  is  now  the  scene  of  the  most  utter 
confusion  imaginable.  Quarter-masters,  wagon-mas 
ters,  wharf-masters  and  government  agents  of  all 
descriptions  running  about  as  if  mad,  while  orders 
upon  orders  and  counter-orders  are  constantly  issued. 
An  exemplification  of  a  scene  in  "  Charles  O'Malley." 
Enter  sergeant  with  a  large  bundle  of  papers  under 
each  arm. 

Officer:  What  have  you  under  your  right  arm  ? 

Sergeant:  Orders. 

Officer:  And  what  under  your  left  ? 

Sergeant:  Counter-orders. 

February  18.  The  regiment  got  off  in  two  steamers, 
the  "  Anson  "  and  "  Augusta  "  and  before  three  in 
the  afternoon  were  on  board  the  ship  "  Huron,"  which 
was  at  anchor  some  eight  miles  at  sea.  We  are  all 
much  disappointed  in  our  vessel.  She  is  much  smaller 
and  worse  found  than  we  anticipated.  She  was  pre 
pared  for  only  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  men  and 
fourteen  officers,  whereas  four  hundred  men  and 


104  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

twenty-one  officers  have  been  put  on  board.  Every 
thing  is  much  crowded  and  the  accommodations 
totally  inadequate.  Fortunately,  it  is  very  calm,  and 
we  hope  to  get  things  stowed  tomorrow  so  as  to  make 
all  more  comfortable.  The  ship  under  the  command 
of  Captain  N.  G.  Weeks  was  got  under  way  about 
four  in  the  afternoon.  There  was  a  light  north  wind, 
and  she  stood  upon  her  course  south  southeast  for 
Lobos.  Notwithstanding  that  the  sea  was  smooth 
and  I  could  not  perceive  that  the  vessel  rolled  at  all, 
many  were  very  sick  and  were  "  casting  up  their 
accounts  "  in  a  manner  by  no  means  agreeable. 

February  ig.  We  have  thus  far  been  fanned  along 
by  gentle  breezes.  About  noon  the  wind  came  ahead, 
blowing  from  the  southeast,  changing  our  course  to 
east  by  north  half  north.  Our  table  on  board  is  very 
good  —  in  every  other  respect  we  are  exceedingly  un 
comfortable,  much  crowded,  the  men  terribly  so.  I 
fear  the  worst  consequences  should  we  be  long  on 
board  in  this  climate.  Scott,  Merrill,  Ruggles,  Rosen- 
crantz,  and  some  others  suffer  much  from  sea  sickness. 
I,  you  know,  am  exempt  from  that  affliction.  I  pass 
nearly  all  my  time  on  deck  reading,  the  captain  hav 
ing  quite  a  supply  of  books.  I  am  by  hours  the  last 
at  night  to  leave  the  deck;  seated  alone  on  the  taffrail 
I  gaze  upon  the  beautiful  moon  and  stars  or  down 
into  the  sparkling  sea.  .  .  . 

February  22.  At  six  this  morning,  when  I  awoke, 
everything  was  pitching  about,  the  ship  rolling  at  a 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  105 

terrible  rate.  By  dead  reckoning  the  captain  esti 
mated  that  we  were  in  the  latitude  of  Lobos.  I  found 
on  coming  on  deck  that  we  were  heading  west.  At 
eleven  in  the  morning  the  low  sandy  shore  of  Mexico 
came  in  view.  I  climbed  to  the  masthead  with  the 
captain  to  con  the  shore.  I  am  the  only  officer  on 
board  enough  of  a  sailor  to  undertake  this  feat.  I 
often  go  to  the  top  to  avoid  the  sickness  and  confusion 
of  the  deck.  We  lay  over  the  fore  top-gallant  yard 
more  than  an  hour,  nearly  one  hundred  feet  from  the 
deck,  while  the  good  ship  was  flying  over  the  sea 
urged  by  half  a  gale  of  wind.  The  shore  became  every 
moment  more  distinct  and  soon  the  Island  of  Lobos 
appeared  with  its  fleet  of  transports.  We  stood  away 
to  the  south  and  at  about  noon  we  were  about  six 
miles  from  the  Island,  when  from  my  position  I  could 
'see  that  the  vessels  belonging  to  the  navy  were  firing 
the  national  salute  for  Washington's  birthday.  At 
two  in  the  afternoon  we  dropped  our  anchor  among 
a  large  fleet  of  ships  rolling  in  the  heavy  sea,  near  the 
"  Massachusetts,"  on  board  of  which  are  General 
Scott  and  staff.  The  little  Isle  of  Lobos  looks  like  a 
green  speck  gemming  the  bosom  of  the  ocean.  It  is  in 
fact  but  a  mile  in  length,  and  half  a  mile  in  breadth, 
and  affords  but  a  poor  lea  in  a  norther,  the  only  gales 
which  we  are  likely  to  encounter  here.  Its  beach  is 
now  covered  with  the  tents  of  various  volunteer 
regiments. 


io6  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

February  23.  This  morning  the  weather  is  mild, 
the  sea  running  down.  I  went  on  board  the  "  Massa 
chusetts  "  where  I  found  Uncle  Edmund  in  fine  spirits 
and  merry  as  ever.  He  thinks  there  will  be  no  fight 
at  Vera  Cruz.  Nous  verrons.  General  Scott  is  in 
high  spirits,  talking  in  his  usual  vein. 

February  25.  Today  a  sad  accident  happened  on 
board.  A  block  fell  from  masthead,  knocking  down 
three  men  and  mortally  wounding  Leach  of  my  com 
pany.  Since  one  o'clock  he  has  been  insensible  and 
I  think  will  not  last  till  morning. 

February  26.  Leach  died  during  the  night  and  I 
was  ordered  to  go  ashore  and  select  a  spot  for  his 
grave,  but  there  was  such  a  gale  blowing  from  the 
north,  that  it  was  not  practicable  to  land.  All  day 
the  transports  have  been  arriving,  coming  down  be 
fore  the  gale  like  race  horses.  The  First,  Second,  and 
Seventh  Infantry  from  Tampico  are  here.  In  the 
afternoon  the  wind  having  lulled  a  little,  I  landed  with 
a  small  party  to  dig  a  grave,  and  after  selecting  a 
suitable  spot  I  walked  about  the  Island  which  I  found 
covered,  except  where  the  volunteers  had  cleared  it, 
with  a  dense  growth  of  tropical  trees  and  plants,  most 
of  which  I  had  never  seen  before.  The  caoutchouc  or 
India  rubber  tree  grows  here  and  is  the  most  wonder 
ful  vegetable  production  I  have  ever  seen,  answering 
exactly  the  description  of  the  banyan,  its  long  heavy 
horizontal  branches  throwing  down  vertical  ones 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  107 

which  take  root  in  the  earth,  the  whole  broad  mass  of 
branches  and  foliage  being  supported  by  this  natural 
colonnade  like  the  dome  of  a  cathedral.  On  my  way 
back  to  the  ship  I  visited  many  vessels  in  search  of  my 
brother  and  met  many  old  friends.  At  last  I  found 
Edmund  on  board  a  little  brig  with  Colonel  Plympton, 
and  he  is  now  spending  the  evening  with  me  on  board 
the  " Huron."  He  is  in  fine  health  and  spirits. 

February  27.  The  gale  still  continues.  I  have, 
however,  been  this  morning  on  the  "  Massachusetts," 
and  have  learned  that  an  express  vessel  is  to  leave  for 
New  Orleans  as  soon  as  the  wind  shifts.  I  am,  there 
fore,  about  to  close  these  pages,  perchance  the  last 
you  will  receive  before  I  land  at  Anton  Lizardo,  or  San 
Juan.  We  are  confidently  assured  by  officers  of  the 
navy  that  they  can  so  cover  our  landing  that  we  will 
receive  no  opposition  from  the  Mexicans.  This  being 
the  case,  I  think,  although  we  may  have  a  tedious  siege 
and  some  hard  work  in  the  trenches,  there  is  little  to 
be  feared  for  the  result.  .  .  .  We  shall  probably  sail 
for  Anton  Lizardo  or  Sacrificio  within  a  week.  It  is 
exceedingly  inconvenient  writing  here.  Not  only  is 
the  ship  crowded  beyond  description,  but  she  is  pitch 
ing  in  a  heavy  sea.  .  .  . 

SHIP  "  HURON  "  OFF  LOBOS, 
February  28,  1847. 

...  In  my  last  I  spoke  of  the  little  Isle  of  Lobos, 
which  lies  in  latitude  21°  26'.  This  little  gem  of  the 


io8  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

ocean,  hitherto  only  known  to  pirates  and  solitary 
cruisers  in  the  Gulf,  will  now  have  its  fame  widely 
blown  over  the  United  States.  It  is  about  seven  miles 
from  the  main  and  has  been  created  by  the  gradual 
rise  of  the  coral  reef  which  spreads  on  every  side  of  it, 
and  is  near  the  surface  to  the  east  and  west  for  at  least 
a  mile.  Besides  the  caoutchouc  tree,  wild  oranges, 
lemons,  and  limes  are  growing  on  this  little  spot,  and 
are  now  opening  their  sweet  blossoms,  filling  the  eve 
ning  air  with  delicious  fragrance.  Some  curious  speci 
mens  of  coral  have  been  collected  by  the  volunteer 
officers  encamped  on  the  island,  such  as  coralized 
wood,  bulbous  roots,  lemons,  and  oranges,  astonish 
ingly  perfect.  The  smallpox  having  broken  out  on 
a  transport  ship,  the  Island  where  the  sick  are  placed 
has  been  quarantined  by  order  of  General  Scott,  or  I 
should  make  search  for  something  for  a  memento.  .  .  . 
March  2.  This  morning  with  the  captain  of  the  ship 
and  Lieutenant  Myers  I  went  fishing  at  daylight  in  a 
small  boat.  It  was  raining  when  we  started  but  when 
the  sun  rose  the  weather  cleared.  We  dropped  our 
little  anchor  off  the  breakers  of  the  east  reef  in  about 
twenty  fathoms  and  prepared  our  lines  for  sport,  but 
finding  it  necessary  almost  immediately  to  shift  our 
ground,  we  endeavored  to  raise  our  anchor  but  to  our 
great  disappointment  found  it  fast  tangled  in  the 
coral.  It  resisted  all  our  efforts  and  finally  the  cable 
parted  and  we  were  obliged  to  pull  back  to  the  ship. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  109 

.  .  .  After  breakfast  we  saw  a  signal  from  the  main 
mast  of  the  "  Massachusetts  "  for  an  officer  and  a 
boat  from  each  ship,  and  an  order  was  communicated 
to  make  all  sail  for  Anton  Lizardo.  The  wind  was 
very  light  and  dead  ahead,  but  the  steamers  on  board 
which  are  the  Generals  and  their  staffs  paddled  off 
to  the  southeast  and  were  soon  out  of  sight.  In  the 
afternoon  the  wind  rose,  when  as  if  by  magic  this  large 
fleet  spread  their  sails  to  the  breeze  and  stood  away 
close  hauled  upon  the  wind  to  the  southwest.  I  went 
to  masthead  to  gaze  upon  this  glorious  spectacle,  one 
which  few  men  ever  see,  such  as  I  never  expect  to 
look  upon  again.  .  .  . 

March  4.  The  wind  shifted  to  the  north  at  two 
o'clock  this  morning  and  is  blowing  a  cracking  breeze. 
We  are  crowding  sail  and  are  gradually  passing  most 
of  the  fleet.  We  are  at  noon  eighty  miles  from  San 
Juan.  At  two  in  the  afternoon  we  saw  the  high  moun 
tains  to  the  northwest  of  Vera  Cruz.  There  were 
nineteen  sail  in  sight  all  crowding  on  to  the  scene  of 
action.  The  beautiful  little  Nautilus  are  scudding  by 
us  in  numbers,  their  tiny  sails  hoisted  and  their  varie 
gated  colors  glistening  in  the  bright  sun.  Query  ? 
Are  they  too  going  to  war,  or  like  Columbus,  on  a 
voyage  of  discovery,  or  thus  dressed  in  holiday  suits 
in  the  service  of  some  sea  Venus  ? 

March  5.  This  morning  there  was  a  dead  calm,  at 
eight  a  very  faint  breeze  fanned  us  slowly  along. 


no  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

About  nine  we  saw  the  high  peak  of  Orizaba  looking 
like  a  point  of  burnished  silver  in  the  sky.  Its  summit 
more  than  three  miles  in  height  covered  with  eternal 
snows  is  the  first  object  which  meets  the  eye  of  the 
mariner  as  he  approaches  Vera  Cruz.  It  lies  between 
forty  and  fifty  miles  inland  and  looks  as  little  like  a 
mountain  when  first  seen  as  possible,  for  it  could  not 
be  distinguished  from  a  cloud  reflecting  the  sun  did  it 
not  remain  immovable  and  unchangeable  in  shape.  I 
went  to  the  head  of  the  foremast,  and  lay  over  the 
fore  topsail  yard  until  in  the  dim  distance  the  castle  of 
San  Juan  and  the  city  could  be  seen.  Some  shipping, 
probably  English  and  French  men-of-war,  are  lying 
at  anchor  in  the  roadstead  of  Sacrificios.  It  is  eleven 
in  the  morning  and  before  night  we  shall  be  at  anchor 
at  Anton  Lizardo.  We  are  near  the  scene  of  our 
struggle  and  'tis  strange  that  all  doubt  and  misgiving 
seems  to  leave  my  mind  as  the  place  and  time  comes 
near,  and  though  I  am  as  likely  to  be  killed  in  the 
coming  conflict  as  any  other  —  it  does  not  so  seem 
to  me.  A  celebrated  author  says:  "  All  men  think 
all  men  mortal  but  themselves,  themselves  immortal." 
March  6.  As  we  drew  towards  the  anchorage  at  An 
ton  Lizardo  yesterday  we  found  ourselves  in  the  midst 
of  a  fleet  of  ships  and  steamers.  I  counted  over  sixty 
vessels  including  the  men-of-war  (two  tall  ships  and 
a  war  steamer)  which  are  keeping  up  the  blockade  of 
the  castle,  their  tapering  spars  plainly  visible  traced 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  in 

on  the  bright  blue  sky.  We  dropped  our  anchor  about 
four  o'clock,  just  inside  the  reef  which  forms  the  har 
bor.  We  were  in  the  rear  and  far  from  our  chief, 
General  Worth.  A  steamer  soon  came  alongside  to 
take  us  to  our  proper  position.  She  had  just  left  the 
blockade  at  Vera  Cruz  and  brought  us  most  interest 
ing  news  —  Santa  Anna's  official  report  of  his  battle 
with  General  Taylor  at  Buena  Vista.  He  admits 
enough  to  show  that  he  has  been  well  whipped,  though 
he  claims  a  victory,  and  strangely  enough  says  he  is 
about  to  retreat  to  Agua  Nueva.  It  must  have  been 
a  bloody  and  desperately  contested  action  lasting 
through  two  days,  the  twenty-second  and  twenty- 
third  of  February.  You  will  undoubtedly  see  the 
accounts  from  General  Taylor  long  before  we  shall 
here.  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  to  hear  from  Webster,1 
who,  you  know,  was  there.  We  also  heard  by  the 
steamer  that  the  castle  of  San  Juan  and  the  city  are 
manned  by  less  than  five  thousand  soldiers  and  but 
badly  supplied  with  provisions.  We  shall  probably 
have  no  difficulty  in  taking  the  place.  This  morning 
I  called  on  Uncle  Edmund  and  spoke  to  my  brother 
as  I  passed  his  ship.  They  are  both  well  and  in  fine 
spirits.  We  see  occasionally  a  few  Mexican  Dragoons 
riding  on  the  beach  opposite  our  position.  As  they 
are  nearly  three  miles  off  they  do  not  appear  very 

1  His  brother-in-law,  who  survived  the  war,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Lucien  B.  Webster. 


ii2  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

warlike.  The  coast  shows  no  signs  of  habitation  in 
our  neighborhood.  If  the  ordnance  and  horses  were 
here,  I  suppose  we  should  land  immediately  —  they 
are  constantly  expected  and  we  cannot  long  be 
delayed. 

This  morning  Generals  Scott,  Patterson,  Worth, 
and  Pillow,  with  their  staff,  went  in  the  small  steamer, 
"  Secretary,"  captured  from  the  Mexicans,  to  recon 
noitre  the  castle  and  city.  They  had  been  gone  some 
hours  and  were  near  San  Juan  when  we  saw  the  flash 
and  soon  heard  the  deep  sound  of  the  heavy  guns  of 
the  castle.  They  had  approached  within  gunshot  and 
were  fired  upon.  Ten  shells  and  one  solid  shot  were 
thrown  at  them  before  they  were  out  of  range.  The 
stupidity  of  the  enemy  alone  saved  them.  The  enemy 
should  have  used  their  entire  water  battery  and 
thrown  solid  shot  alone,  opening  on  the  boat  when 
nearest  and  they  must  have  sunk  it,  —  but  they 
waited  until  she  was  going  off  and  then  with  no  effect 
sent  only  the  eleven  shot  spoken  of.  ... 

March  7.  It  is  rumored  that  we  are  to  commence 
our  landing  tonight  —  I  doubt  it.  It  is  now  four  in 
the  afternoon  and  the  adjutant  has  gone  to  General 
Worth  for  orders.  .  .  .  The  enemy  have  been  driving 
cattle  into  the  city,  evidently  preparing  for  a  siege.  .  .  . 
The  adjutant  has  returned  with  the  order  for  us  to 
land  at  break  of  day  from  the  war  ship  "Raritan." 
The  point  of  debarkation  is  three  or  four  miles  below 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  113 

the  city,  opposite  to  the  Island  of  Sacrificios.  What 
awaits  us  on  shore  is  all  conjecture.  It  is  not  probable, 
however,  that  our  landing  will  be  opposed,  as  the 
enemy  cannot  be  aware  of  the  point  or  concentrate 
a  force  there.  .  .  .  We  are  to  carry  nothing  with  us 
but  a  great  coat,  a  haversack  with  four  days'  pro 
visions  in  it,  and  a  canteen  of  water.  .  .  .  Now, 
hurrah  for  San  Juan  and  a  brevet  !  I  have  written 
this  with  all  the  officers  about  me  talking  like  mad  to 
each  other  and  to  me.  Major  Scott  says:  "  Give  my 
best  respects  to  your  wife,  and  tell  her  we  are  going 
on  the  Flagship  and  shall  take  the  first  battery  !  " 

CAMP  WASHINGTON,  NEAR  VERA  CRUZ, 
March  13,  1847. 

.  .  .  We  did  not  land  as  we  expected,  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  eighth,  as  we  were  threatened  with  a  norther, 
but  remained  at  our  anchorage.  On  the  ninth  the 
weather  proving  mild,  the  movement  commenced  at 
daylight.  The  First  Brigade  were  mostly  transferred 
to  armed  vessels;  near  two  thousand  to  the  Flagship 
"  Raritan,"  including  a  portion  of  our  regiment  and 
my  company.  The  steamers  took  the  vessels  in  tow, 
and  all  started  for  the  Island  of  Sacrificios,  dropping 
our  anchors  about  noon  between  that  island  and  the 
main.  Sacrificios  is  about  twelve  hundred  yards  from 
the  shore  where  there  is  a  good  landing,  three  miles 
from  the  city  and  the  castle,  just  beyond  cannon  range. 


H4  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

We  could  see  a  few  Mexican  soldiers  on  shore,  but  no 
evidence  of  any  large  force  to  oppose  our  landing, 
though  we  did  not  know  but  there  might  be  batteries 
and  troops  behind  the  sand  hills.  Our  division  as 
rapidly  as  possible  debarked  in  the  surf  boats,  and 
were  ranged  in  order  of  battle  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  beach  awaiting  the  signal  to  move  to 
the  shore.  This  was  an  interesting  moment,  and  must 
have  been  a  grand  spectacle  from  the  yards  and  tops 
of  the  shipping.  Soon  a  cannon  was  fired  at  head 
quarters,  the  steamer  "  Massachusetts,"  and  with 
loud  cheers  we  pushed  for  the  beach,  each  hardy 
sailor  using  his  utmost  exertion  to  be  the  first  to  land. 
The  entire  division  reached  the  shore  in  good  order, 
every  one  leaping  from  the  boats  as  their  keels  grated 
on  the  sand,  wading  the  short  distance  that  remained. 
We  were  at  once  formed  in  order  of  battle  and  ad 
vanced  over  the  sand  hills.  We  met  with  no  oppo 
sition,  not  a  single  gun  being  fired.  As  we  gained  the 
crest  of  the  hill,  we  could  see  a  few  Mexicans,  but 
they  were  far  off  and  not  in  force.  It  was  near  sunset 
when  we  gained  our  position.  The  boats  returned 
immediately  to  bring  the  second  line,  composed  of 
Patterson's  division,  the  third  being  Twigg's  brigade. 
As  the  night  closed  in  we  lay  down  on  the  sand,  every 
alternate  company  remaining  up  to  prevent  surprise. 
About  two  o'clock  I  was  roused  from  a  deep  sleep  by 
the  cry  "  To  Arms,"  and  the  rattle  of  musketry  on 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  115 

our  right  where  there  was  apparently  a  smart  skirmish. 
I  was  at  once  ordered  with  my  company  in  front  as 
a  picket.  I  forced  my  way  through  the  chaparral  and 
over  the  broken  ground,  some  three  or  four  hundred 
yards  to  the  front,  where  I  took  up  a  position  that 
overlooked  the  country  in  advance.  The  firing  had 
ceased  and  we  were  not  again  molested  during  the 
night.  At  daylight  I  was  recalled  and  ordered  to  the 
right  of  the  brigade  as  one  company  of  a  battalion  of 
skirmishers  under  Captain  C.  F.  Smith.  The  battalion 
is  composed  of  four  companies,  and  I  am  acting  as 
major  of  the  command.  We  shall  probably  remain 
detached  from  our  regiment  during  the  siege.  Our 
movement  for  investing  the  city  began  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  tenth.  We,  the  skirmishers,  were  thrown 
forward  to  feel  the  ground.  We  could  see  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  front  some  two  or  three  hundred 
Mexican  soldiers,  and  a  squadron  or  two  of  cavalry 
in  the  valley.  We  exchanged  some  shots  without 
effect,  though  the  escopet  balls  whistled  over  our 
heads.  A  few  Congreve  rockets  were  thrown  at  them 
and  a  shell  or  two  from  a  mountain  howitzer,  —  upon 
which  they  retreated.  The  position  of  Worth's  di 
vision  is  on  the  right  or  south  of  the  town,  its  right 
flank  resting  on  the  sea.  Our  line  of  investment  will 
extend  a  mile  or  so  from  the  shore.  From  Worth's 
left  flank  the  line  is  to  be  kept  up  by  Pillow's  Brigade, 
and  so  on  to  the  left  where  the  Third  Brigade  under 


n6  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Twiggs  is  to  rest  on  the  sea  to  the  north  of  the  city. 
By  noon  on  the  tenth,  Worth  had  occupied  his  po 
sition  and  General  Patterson's  division,  composed  of 
Pillow's,  Shield's,  and  Quitman's  Brigades,  marched 
to  the  left  to  continue  the  line  of  investment.  Pillow's 
command  was  soon  engaged  with  the  enemy  as  we 
knew  by  the  continued  firing  from  them.  We  learned 
in  the  evening  that  they  had  gained  their  position 
without  loss.  The  New  York  regiment  occupied  a 
large  magazine  in  rear  of  Patterson's  division.  Dur 
ing  the  day,  the  enemy  were  throwing  solid  shot  and 
shells  from  their  heavy  guns  and  mortars  which  gener 
ally  fell  short,  though  some  reached  the  line  causing 
a  little  beautiful  dodging  and  much  laughter.  As  the 
night  closed  in  we  bivouacked.  On  the  eleventh  the 
troops  of  General  Patterson's  division  were  still 
moving  to  the  left,  while  the  First  (General  Worth's) 
were  engaged  in  reconnoitring  and  getting  some  of 
our  camp  equipage  and  provisions  on  shore.  I  saw 
Colonel  Plympton  and  Edmund  in  the  evening,  both 
well.  The  Colonel  has  grown  old  since  you  saw  him 
and  I  think  is  breaking,  though  his  conversation  is  as 
lively  and  entertaining  as  ever.  On  the  twelfth, 
Twiggs  moved  with  his  brigade  to  the  left,  having  to 
fight  much  of  his  route,  with  some  loss.  Captain 
Alburtis  of  the  Second  Infantry  was  killed  by  a  round 
shot  which  carried  away  his  head  as  he  was  sitting 
under  a  tree.  The  same  shot  took  off  the  leg  of  a 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  117 

corporal  and  wounded  a  third  person.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Dickinson  of  the  South  Carolina  regiment 
and  five  or  six  men  of  the  rifles  were  wounded.  The 
enemy  in  these  skirmishes  must  have  suffered  con 
siderably,  —  a  Mexican  officer  bearing  dispatches  to 
the  Capital  was  among  their  killed.  I  was  out  all  the 
night  of  the  twelfth  in  command  of  two  companies 
in  the  hope  of  intercepting  a  reenforcement,  supposed 
to  be  coming  in  from  Alvarado. 

I  was  interrupted  here  by  an  order  for  the  light 
battalion  to  take  two  days'  provisions  in  their  haver 
sacks  and  advance  to  drive  in  the  enemy's  outposts, 
and  if  possible  to  get  position  in  the  suburbs.  I  have 
been  gone  two  days,  but  will  take  up  my  story  where 
I  left  it. 

On  the  morning  of  the  thirteenth,  I  returned  from 
my  picket  on  the  Alvarado  road,  and  we  heard  in  the 
course  of  the  day  that  the  investment  was  completed. 
The  weather  is  extremely  disagreeable,  a  north  wind 
blowing  violently,  nearly  burying  us  in  sand  and  pre 
venting  all  communication  with  the  ships.  We  regret 
very  much  that  we  cannot  get  our  mortars  and  heavy 
guns  on  shore  until  there  is  a  calm,  as  little  can  be  done 
here  until  our  batteries  are  in  position.  Duncan's 
light  battalion  and  the  Dragoons  have  not  yet 
arrived  and  some  anxiety  is  felt  for  their  fate.  We 
on  shore  were  much  disgusted  at  seeing  a  ship  under 
French  colors  run  the  misnamed  blockade  carrying 


n8  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

succor  to  the  enemy,  without  the  least  apparent  effort 
to  intercept  them  from  the  navy,  which  were  quietly 
lying  at  anchor.  The  armed  steamers  ought  and 
could  easily  capture  any  vessel  attempting  to  enter 
Vera  Cruz.  The  gentlemen  of  the  navy  say  it  is  en 
tirely  the  fault  of  Commodore  Connor  and  complain 
bitterly  of  the  inactivity  in  which  they  are  kept.  On 
the  fourteenth,  in  the  morning,  I  was  interrupted  as 
I  before  stated,  while  trying  to  give  you  some  account 
of  what  is  going  on.  In  compliance  with  the  order 
spoken  of,  our  battalion  was  soon  in  motion  and  by 
cutting  our  way  through  dense  chaparral  and  by 
keeping  under  the  sand  hills  we  advanced  a  mile 
toward  the  city  without  being  seen  from  it  or  the 
castle.  I  was  here  placed  in  a  small  indentation  in 
the  top  of  a  sand  hill  in  command  of  two  companies, 
which  were  a  reserve,  and  designed  to  support  any 
advance  parties  which  might  be  attacked.  Here  we 
remained  twenty-four  hours  drenched  with  rain  and 
nearly  buried  in  the  driving  sand.  Save  the  excite 
ment  of  the  whizzing  of  some  passing  ball  (designed 
for  our  friends  in  the  rear)  whose  flight  we  watched 
with  some  anxiety,  there  was  nothing  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  our  position.  We  were  much  fatigued 
on  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth,  when  General  Worth 
came  to  our  position  and  ordered  us  to  advance.  We 
proceeded  very  cautiously  in  a  small  path  which  had 
been  cut  through  the  bushes  advancing  very  gradu- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  119 

ally  wherever  we  came  to  a  place  where  there  was 
any  danger  of  being  seen  from  the  city.  We  soon 
came  upon  our  advanced  party  under  C.  F.  Smith, 
who  were  lying  at  the  base  of  a  hill  among  some  very- 
ancient  tombs.  —  I  must  be  more  brief.  —  Captain 
Walker  was  thrown  forward  with  his  company  to  a 
large  cemetery  near  the  wall  of  the  city,  and  I  was 
ordered  to  remain  about  two  hundred  yards  in  his 
rear  to  support  him  in  case  he  was  attacked.  While 
lying  with  my  company  in  this  place  prostrate  upon 
the  ground,  the  enemy  amused  themselves  by  throw 
ing  shells  at  us,  only  two  of  which  struck  near  us,  - 
one  exploded  a  few  yards  to  our  left,  and  one  struck 
about  fifteen  feet  to  my  right,  and  rolled  out  of  the 
hole  very  near  Rossell  and  myself.  We  lay  very  close 
to  the  ground  some  minutes  waiting  for  it  to  burst. 
Then  I  went  and  examined  it  and  found  very  fortu 
nately  for  us  that  the  fuse  had  been  broken  off  by  its 
striking  the  ground.  Towards  night  Walker  thought 
himself  threatened  by  cavalry  from  the  city,  and  I 
advanced  to  his  assistance.  It  was,  however,  only  a 
small  reconnoitring  party  which  soon  retired.  The 
cemetery  where  we  are  stationed  is  a  large  rectangular 
enclosure  surrounded  by  a  high  brick  wall.  In  its 
centre  is  a  chapel  surmounted  by  a  graceful  dome. 
We  were  unable  to  advance  beyond  this  point  without 
being  exposed  to  the  direct  fire  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries.  It  rained  nearly  all  night  and  by  morning  we 


120  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

were  all  pretty  well  worn  out  by  two  nights'  picket 
duty.  We  were  relieved  about  dawn  on  the  sixteenth 
by  the  Fifth  Infantry  under  Major  Scott,  and  returned 
to  camp  dirty,  wet,  cold,  and  hungry.  I  found  my 
self  covered  with  wood  ticks  and  red  bugs,  and  al 
though  for  more  than  twenty-four  hours  I  have 
constantly  applied  salt  ammonia  and  oil,  I  am  covered 
with  inflamed  blotches  from  head  to  foot.  We  re 
ceived  today  particulars  of  Taylor's  great  but  bloody 
victory. 

March  17.  .  .  .  The  siege  progresses  slowly  owing 
to  the  equinoctial  storm  which  prevents  the  landing 
of  our  mortars  and  ordnance.  The  investment,  how 
ever,  is  complete  and  I  do  not  think  the  enemy  can 
communicate  with  the  interior.  Several  of  their  ex 
presses  have  been  intercepted,  in  all  of  which  they 
speak  of  the  great  terror  of  the  inhabitants  and  of 
their  want  of  provisions.  I  think  when  our  batteries 
are  established  we  shall  make  short  work  of  it,  and 
without  much  danger  to  ourselves  as  we  shall  only 
be  exposed  to  their  vertical  fire,  that  is  shell,  which 
are  not  very  destructive.  Bob  T—  is  here, 
master  of  the  "  Princeton."  I  have  seen  him  once  — 
he  is  a  fine,  manly  sailor,  and  I  understand  has  aban 
doned  all  the  wild  habits  of  his  boyhood.  The  mail 
goes  by  the  "  Alabama  "  in  the  morning,  and  I  must 
close  this  rude  letter  which,  bad  and  imperfect  as  it 
is,  has  cost  me  no  little  trouble  under  all  the  disad- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  121 

vantages  for  writing  which  I  have  had  to  encounter. 
I  shall  write  as  usual  when  I  can,  but  my  details  must 
be  very  imperfect  as  I  am  confined  by  duty  to  my 
own  brigade.  The  left  flank,  where  Edmund  is,  is 
several  miles  from  us.  Not  a  word  I  write  must  get  into 
the  papers.  .  .  . 

CAMP  WASHINGTON,  AROUND  VERA  CRUZ, 
March  22,  1847. 

My  last  date  was  the  seventeenth.  Since  then  have 
had  no  time  to  continue  my  journal,  but  all  I  could 
have  recorded  of  interest  can  be  told  in  a  few  words. 
The  siege  has  progressed  slowly  and  neither  party  has 
as  yet  injured  the  other  materially.  The  first  parallel 
has  been  opened  about  eight  hundred  yards  from  the 
wall  of  the  town.  The  point  of  attack  being  directly 
in  front  of  us,  our  brigade,  General  Worth's,  has  per 
formed  most  of  the  labor  in  the  trenches,  and  furnished 
nearly  all  the  guards  for  the  working  parties.  I  have 
been  on  picket  guard  six  nights  in  eleven,  and  the 
duty  has  been  exceedingly  severe  upon  all.  The  sand 
insects  and  want  of  rest  must  soon  break  us  down  in 
this  climate  unless  the  duty  becomes  lighter.  The 
enemy  are  using  their  heavy  batteries  incessantly, 
throwing  some  hundreds  of  solid  shot  and  shells  at 
us  every  day,  yet  but  one  man  in  our  brigade  has 
been  struck,  a  marine,  who  was  killed  yesterday 
morning  by  a  shot  striking  the  wall  of  the  cemetery 
behind  which  he  was  sitting.  We  owe  our  safety  to 


122  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  peculiar  nature  of  the  ground,  all  the  distance 
from  our  camp  to  the  trenches  being  a  succession  of 
high  sand  hills  with  valleys  filled  with  chaparral  in 
which  we  are  entirely  safe  from  all  but  vertical  shot, 
the  fragments  of  shells  which  burst  in  the  air,  and  the 
chances  are  that  not  one  in  a  thousand  of  them  will 
be  effective. 

Night  before  last  I  spent  in  advance  of  the  trenches 
not  far  from  the  town.  It  was  blowing  a  gale  from 
the  north,  the  fine  sand  pricking  our  faces  like  needles 
and  nearly  putting  out  our  eyes.  Being  the  advance 
post,  and  very  near  the  enemy,  great  watchfulness 
was  necessary  to  prevent  surprise.  I  was  up  all  the 
previous  night  and  day,  and  yesterday  at  noon  when 
I  returned  to  camp,  I  was  completely  exhausted.  A 
good  night's  rest,  however,  has  restored  me  and  I  am 
ready  for  the  trenches  again.  We  have  not  yet 
opened  a  single  battery  on  the  town  or  castle  and  last 
night  we  got  our  first  mortars  and  guns  into  position. 
But  a  small  portion  of  our  battering  train  has  reached 
here  and  much  anxiety  is  felt  in  regard  to  it,  - 
whether  it  has  been  lost  at  sea  or  blown  to  leeward  is 
not  known.  Forty-nine  ten-inch  mortars  were  ex 
pected  of  which  but  ten  have  arrived,  and  of  the 
breaching  guns  only  four  twenty-four-pounders  and 
two  sixty-four-pound  howitzers.  With  these  it  is 
thought  we  can  soon  reduce  the  city,  but  the  castle 
may  stand  a  longer  siege.  The  horses  of  the  light 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  123 

batteries  and  those  of  the  Dragoons  have  suffered  a 
great  loss  by  the  sea  voyage,  —  Duncan  having  lost 
fifty,  and  a  squadron  of  Dragoons  under  Colonel 
Harney  one  hundred  and  fifteen,  and  those  horses 
which  have  been  landed  are  scarcely  fit  for  service.  .  .  . 
Our  army  is  in  no  danger  from  severe  fevers  until 
May,  and  before  then  I  hope  our  work  will  be  done, 
and  we  shall  either  return  or  go  to  the  mountains.  .  .  . 
At  two  in  the  afternoon  today,  the  city  and  castle 
were  summoned  to  surrender,  which,  of  course,  was 
declined  in  the  usual  courteous  terms  by  General 
Morales,  Governor  of  Vera  Cruz  and  San  Juan,  and 
commander  of  the  Mexican  forces,  and  at  half-past 
three  o'clock  six  of  our  ten-inch  mortars  opened  on 
the  city  with  terrible  effect.  At  the  same  time  two 
small  war  steamers  and  five  gun  boats  with  heavy 
guns  came  to  anchor  within  range  of  the  castle  to 
assist  us  in  the  attack.  The  enemy  replied  with  every 
gun  which  they  could  bring  to  bear,  returning  at 
least  three  shots  for  every  one  of  ours.  It  was  a  sub 
lime  spectacle  from  the  sand  hills  in  front  of  our  camp 
where  I  was  standing  with  Bel  ton.  The  cannonade 
was  terrific  and  the  city  and  trenches  were  soon  com 
pletely  hidden  by  the  smoke.  We  know  that  our 
shells  must  be  doing  vast  injury  as  every  one  ex 
ploded  in  or  immediately  over  the  devoted  city,  and 
at  the  same  time  we  felt  confident  that  but  little 
damage  could  be  done  to  our  troops  in  the  trenches 


124  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

where  they  are  covered  from  direct  fire  and  are  on 
the  circumference  of  a  circle,  while  our  fire  is  concen 
trated  from  that  circumference  on  a  centre.  We  were, 
however,  anxious  to  hear  from  the  advance  where 
were  four  companies  of  the  Fifth  under  Major  Scott. 
Chapman's  company  and  mine  were  resting  after 
having  been  forty-eight  hours  on  duty. 

At  nine  our  regiment  came  in,  when  we  learned 
that,  as  we  supposed,  we  had  silenced  many  of  the 
Mexican  guns,  and  as  could  be  seen  from  the  advanced 
positions  had  done  great  execution,  knocking  the 
spires,  domes,  and  houses  to  ruins.  If  our  weak  bat 
tery  of  six  mortars  has  done  so  much,  what  must  have 
been  the  result  if  all  our  guns  —  say  fifty  mortars  and 
twenty  or  thirty  heavy  siege  cannon,  which  should 
have  been  here  —  had  all  been  in  operation.  I  do  not 
believe  the  enemy  could  have  held  out  four  hours. 

The  loss  on  our  side  was  but  one  soldier  killed,  but 
the  entire  army  are  mourning  the  death  of  Captain 
John  R.  Vinton,  one  of  the  most  intellectual  and  gallant 
spirits  of  the  army.  He  commanded  the  batteries  in 
the  trenches  and  a  shell  passing  through  the  parapet 
of  the  parallel  struck  him  in  the  head  killing  him 
instantly.  Is  it  not  strange  that  of  the  six  or  seven, 
which  is  all  who  have  fallen  in  the  siege,  two  should 
have  been  officers,  Vinton  and  Alburtis  ? 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty- third,  I  was  ordered 
to  the  trenches  with  a  working  party  of  one  hundred 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  125 

men.  A  violent  norther  had  arisen  during  the  night, 
which  blew  the  sand  back  almost  as  fast  as  we  threw 
it  out.  The  enemy  were  firing  but  little,  occasionally 
a  small  shell  would  drop  near  us,  but  we  could  always 
see  it  in  time  to  get  out  of  its  way.  Our  batteries,  too, 
were  obliged  to  slacken  their  fire  as  the  surf  during  the 
gale  prevented  any  landing  from  the  ships,  and  the 
shells  brought  on  shore  were  nearly  expended.  No 
one  on  our  side  has  been  wounded  since  the  fall  of 
Vinton.  I  came  back  to  camp  last  night,  filthy  and 
tired  enough.  A  good  night's  sleep  has  restored  me 
and  I  am  besides  cheered  to  hear  that  eighteen  more 
mortars  have  arrived.  The  more  we  get,  the  sooner 
our  work  will  be  finished  and  the  less  injury  we  shall 
receive. 

I  have  just  seen  Uncle  Edmund  who  says  the 
"  Princeton,"  war  steamer,  is  about  to  sail  for  New 
York  with  Commodore  Connor,  who  has  been  re 
lieved  by  Commodore  Perry.  I  hasten  to  close  this 
for  her  mail  and  think  it  quite  possible  you  may  re 
ceive  this  before  the  last  which  went  in  a  sail  vessel 
on  the  seventeenth.  I  haven't  seen  my  brother  for 
several  days,  but  hear  that  he  is  well.  I  am  most 
thankful  that  Webster's  name  is  not,  so  far  as  we  can 
learn,  on  the  list  of  the  wounded  at  Buena  Vista. 
Wherever  there  is  shade  and  soil  here,  there  are  many 
beautiful  wild  flowers  in  blossom.  I  shall  send  one  in 
this  letter.  , 


126  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

CAMP  WASHINGTON,  VERA  CRUZ, 
March  24,  1847. 

The  date  above  was  written  when  I  closed  my  last 
letter  which  is  still  on  the  "  Princeton  "  and  will  not 
leave  until  tomorrow,  so  you  will  get  several  letters 
at  one  time,  and  I  hope  in  so  great  an  amount  of  scrib- 
blings  you  will  find  sufficient  news  to  compensate  for 
the  labor  of  hunting  out  of  the  mass. 

It  is  now  the  twenty-ninth,  Sunday,  nine  o'clock  at 
night.  I  have  just  come  in  from  a  picket  tour  of  three 
days  and  two  nights  at  the  Puente  Moreno,  which  is 
some  six  miles  in  the  country,  where  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  there  was  a  smart  skirmish  in  which  we  were,  of 
course,  victorious,  though  at  the  expense  of  some  few 
killed  and  Lieutenant  Neal  and  two  or  three  privates 
wounded.  I  am  almost  tired  to  death  and  would  not 
write  another  word  was  my  news  of  less  importance. 
The  bombardment  of  the  city  continued  until  the 
evening  of  the  twenty-sixth  when  it  ceased,  much  to 
the  amazement  of  all  who  were  not  in  the  secrets  of 
our  chief.  Something  was  in  the  wind,  but  what,  was 
all  conjecture,  and  so  continued  when  on  the  morning 
of  the  twenty-sixth  I  was  ordered  on  picket.  The 
wind  was  blowing  a  gale  (you  will  think  it  is  all  wind 
here,  but  there  is  a  goodly  sprinkling  of  sand),  my  tent 
had  just  been  blown  down,  not  only  down,  but  in 
pieces,  and  the  few  articles  which  I  possess  here  had 
been  scattered  about  and  buried  in  the  sand.  I,  how- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  127 

ever,  headed  my  company  and  left  everything  to  its 
fate,  marching  with  two  other  companies,  all  under 
command  of  Major  Sumner. 

I  was  glad  enough  to  get  into  the  green  country 
away  from  the  sand  hills.  We  made  ourselves  as  com 
fortable  as  we  could  in  our  position,  bivouacking  on 
the  bridge.  Most  of  the  night  Sumner  and  myself 
spent  in  conjecture,  and  in  discussing  the  probable 
causes  of  the  strange  silence  of  our  batteries.  On  the 
twenty-seventh  we  heard  from  camp  that  it  was  owing 
to  a  flag  received  from  the  city  with  some  proposals 
from  the  Mexican  general,  which  a  commission  was 
discussing.  We  presumed  it  only  related  to  the  sur 
render  of  the  city  and  at  one  o'clock  at  night  a  Dragoon 
rode  into  our  bivouac  with  a  note  from  Colonel  Hitch 
cock  saying  that  General  Scott  had  just  approved  the 
Articles  of  Capitulation.  Huzza!  Huzza!  the  city 
and  the  strong  castle  of  San  Juan  have  surrendered! 
Tomorrow,  the  thirtieth,  the  garrisons  of  both  places 
are  to  march  out,  and  our  flag  to  float  in  place  of  the 
Mexican.  The  Mexican  officers  are  to  retain  their 
side-arms,  the  rank  and  file  to  march  without  arms, 
and  all  to  go  into  the  interior  on  parole.  Our  brigade, 
General  Worth's,  are  to  meet  them  at  the  gates  and 
take  possession  of  the  city  and  castle  when  they  leave 
them.  This  is  a  great  victory  accomplished  with  little 
loss  on  our  side,  three  officers  and  some  ten  men  only 
having  been  killed.  Five  generals,  eighteen  colonels, 


128  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

etc.,  and  between  four  and  five  thousand  rank  and 
file  of  the  enemy  become  prisoners  on  parole.  We 
possess  the  strongest  place  in  Mexico.  About  three 
hundred  cannon  of  all  calibres,  with  all  the  arms,  mu 
nitions  of  war  and  public  property,  undoubtedly  worth 
some  millions,  are  ours. 

We  hear  the  distress  in  the  city  has  been  dreadful, 
some  hundreds  of  women  and  children  having  been 
killed  by  our  shells.  This  is  horrible!  I  have  this 
moment  been  notified  that  with  my  company  I  am 
to  garrison  Fort  St.  lago,  a  small  work  on  the  south 
east  of  the  town.  By  the  mail  tonight  I  have  received 
two  letters  from  you  but  am  too  much  worn  out  to 
answer  them.  I  have  been  nine  nights  and  days  out 
of  eighteen  on  picket,  a  considerable  part  of  the  time 
under  the  fire  of  the  Mexican  batteries  and  can 
scarcely  see  the  paper,  I  would  not  read  over  this 
letter  for  anything!  .  .  . 

CAMP  WASHINGTON, 
April  6,  1847. 

My  last  was  closed  on  the  twenty-eighth  ultimo. 
Before  now  reports  of  our  glorious  success  here  with 
glowing  accounts  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  surrender 
on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth  are  speeding  their 
way  to  Washington  and  the  world,  and  it  would  be 
useless  for  me  to  attempt  a  repetition  of  what  you 
will  find  detailed  so  much  better  in  the  newspapers. 
However,  as  the  "  Magnanimous  Mexican  Army " 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  129 

moved  out  of  the  city,  we  marched  in.  My  company 
of  the  Fifth  and  an  artillery  company  moved  off  to 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  town  to  occupy  Fort  St. 
lago  where  the  first  flag  of  our  country  which  ever 
floated  over  the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz  was  raised  by 
Major  Martin  Scott  who  was  in  command. 

As  it  was  run  up  we  fired  a  national  salute  from  the 
twenty-four-pounders  which  garnished  the  fort.  The 
navy  followed  with  a  tremendous  roar  of  artillery 
from  every  gun  in  the  fleet. 

Colonel  Bel  ton  raised  a  flag  and  fired  a  salute  from 
San  Juan  D'Ulloa,  as  did  the  officer  in  command  at 
Fort  Concepcion  at  the  opposite  corner  of  the  town. 

WHERE  CAMP  WASHINGTON  ONCE  WAS, 
NEAR  VERA  CRUZ, 

April  17,  1847. 

I  do  not  know  the  date  of  my  last  letter,  a  short 
history  will  explain  the  cause.  On  the  night  of  the 
seventh,  I  was  writing  a  letter  to  you  in  my  tent,  when, 
in  common  with  the  other  officers  of  the  regiment,  I 
was  summoned  to  Major  Scott's  tent.  Scott  was 
swelling  with  importance  and  had  borrowed  a  candle 
from  the  adjutant,  being  too  poor  to  purchase.  He 
held  in  his  hand  a  note  and  commenced: 

"  Are  you  all  here  ?  "  then  began  reading  the  note: 

"  Major  Scott,  Sir:  You  "  -  a  pause. 

"  Where  is  Captain  Ruggles  ?  Gentlemen,  pay 
attention,  we  shall  catch  it  before  tomorrow  night! " 


130  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Myself:  "  What  !  the  yellow  fever  ?  " 
Major  Scott:  "  We  are  to  go  on  desperate  service." 
And  so  after  beginning  and  stopping  twenty  times 
he  finally  managed  to  read  a  brief  note  from  General 
Worth  ordering  him  with  the  regiment  to  report  to 
him  on  the  morning  of  the  eighth  at  daylight  in  the 
plaza,  each  one  carrying  in  his  haversack  five  days' 
provisions  and  his  greatcoat  on  his  back.  I  asked 
Scott  if  he  knew  where  we  were  going.  "  He  thought 
he  did,  we  would  all  find  out  before  tomorrow  night 
but  some  would  not  live  to  tell  of  it  if  he  led  them  !  " 
etc.,  intimating  that  we  were  going  on  desperate  ser 
vice  for  which  we  were  selected  in  consequence  of  his 
superior  abilities,  etc.  I  finally  remarked  that  I 
thought  he  knew  nothing  about  it,  and  that  I  would 
bet  we  were  going  after  horses  and  mules,  —  in  conse 
quence  of  his  peculiar  fitness. 

I  went  to  my  tent  and  closed  my  desk,  in  which  there 
were  besides  all  your  dear  letters  a  considerable 
amount  of  money  belonging  to  the  regiment  and  to 
the  men,  and  carried  it  to  Major  Kirby,  as  I  dared 
not  leave  it  in  my  tent  during  my  absence.  On  my 
return  last  night  we  found  the  army  all  gone.  Uncle 
had  carried  my  desk  with  him  not  liking  to  leave  it 
with  any  one,  knowing  its  contents,  —  so  I  am  without 
my  dressing  and  writing  apparatus. 

To  resume.  I  had  guessed  right  in  regard  to  our 
duty.  On  reporting  on  the  morning  of  the  eighth,  we 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  131 

were  ordered  on  board  the  steamer  "  McKim"  to  go 
up  the  Alvarado  River  after  horses  and  mules.  We 
arrived  at  Alvarado,  which  is  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  just  at  sunset.  Here  is  a  fine  harbor  with  about 
two  fathoms  on  the  bar  at  low  water,  and  it  is  a  much 
better  point  for  a  large  city  and  a  commercial  depot 
than  at  Vera  Cruz.  The  town  which  before  the  war 
contained  between  three  and  four  thousand  inhabi 
tants  is  now  in  the  possession  of  our  navy,  Captain 
Mayo  being  the  Governor.  It  is  much  like  other 
Mexican  towns,  —  a  large  church,  a  few  decent  houses 
owned  by  the  rich,  the  residue  mean  and  dirty,  filled 
with  ticks,  fleas,  vermin,  idleness,  and  licentiousness. 
In  the  morning  we  proceeded  up  the  river  which  is 
truly  beautiful  —  broad,  deep,  and  clear,  with  rich 
verdant  banks. 

About  thirty  miles  from  its  mouth  we  arrived  at 
the  town  of  Tlacatalpin.  Here  the  river  forks  the  left 
branch  taking  the  name  of  San  Juan.  Tlacatalpin  is 
much  the  neatest  town  I  have  yet  seen  in  Mexico, 
containing  some  three  thousand  inhabitants  who  are 
industrious  in  comparison  with  all  others  I  have  seen 
in  this  country.  The  women  have  the  reputation  of 
being  virtuous,  the  men  honest.  They  are  at  least 
half  white,  being  less  stained  with  negro  blood  than 
in  those  portions  of  Mexico  which  I  have  seen.  Many 
cocoanut  trees  in  full  bearing  were  growing  here,  some 
ripe  pineapples,  indeed,  most  of  the  tropical  fruits, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

excepting  oranges.  We  found  a  great  abundance  of 
melons,  green  corn,  cabbages,  and  some  Irish  potatoes 
which  were  tolerable.  The  quarter-master  found  it 
would  be  some  days  before  he  could  get  horses  in  from 
the  surrounding  country,  so  we  left  the  steamboat 
and  were  quartered  in  a  house  for  picking  cotton.  It 
was  very  dirty,  of  course,  but  it  gave  the  men  room 
to  lie  down  in  the  shade  which  is  absolutely  necessary 
in  this  hot  climate.  The  weather  was  awfully  hot.  We 
had  no  change  of  clothes  and  you  can  judge  how  un 
comfortable  and  disgusting  we  were  in  a  few  days. 
We  remained  at  Tlacatalpin  from  Friday  until  Tues 
day  evening.  The  march  from  that  place  to  Vera 
Cruz  was  most  horrible,  —  the  men  without  bread, 
and  had  to  be  up  all  night  watching  the  horses.  We 
have  just  arrived.  I  am  completely  worn  out  and 
have  just  seen  the  villainous  order  of  promotions  and 
brevets  in  which  the  Fifth  is  entirely  neglected.  I  am 
utterly  disgusted  with  the  service  and  were  it  not  for 
you  and  the  dear  children  would  resign  at  once,  but 
for  your  sakes  I  must  continue  to  endure. 

Santa  Anna  with  fifteen  thousand  men  is,  we  learn, 
strongly  fortified  in  a  mountain  pass  about  forty  miles 
from  here.  It  is  supposed  General  Scott  fought  him 
yesterday,  as  cannon  were  heard.  We  all  think  it  will 
be  the  last  fight  of  the  war  as  Santa  Anna  has  his  minis 
ters  with  him  evidently  to  negotiate,  if  he  is  beaten. 

April  ig.  .  .  .  We  are  to  march  this  evening  or  at 
daybreak  tomorrow. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  133 

JALAPA, 

April  25,  1847. 

I  wrote  from  Vera  Cruz  on  the  nineteenth,  just  be 
fore  we  marched  for  this  place.  We  were  then  nearly 
worn  out  with  fatigue  and  started  in  bad  spirits.  In 
deed  the  treatment  which  the  army  has  received  from 
the  Administration,  and  the  injustice  done  by  the 
brevets,  has  disgusted  and  dispirited  many  of  us,  par 
ticularly  in  our  regiment,  which  has  done  so  much 
service  and  been  so  entirely  overlooked.  ...  I  have 
recently  been  less  regular  in  my  correspondence  than 
I  desire  to  be,  but  I  have  been  so  situated  that  I  could 
not  even  write  a  journal.  We  carry  no  baggage  but  a 
pair  of  saddle  bags  and  a  small  roll  of  bedding  and  are 
without  tents.  I  am  now  sitting  on  the  ground  writing 
on  the  top  of  a  box.  .  .  .  We  are  to  march  to  Perote, 
forty  miles  from  here,  tomorrow,  to  join  General 
Worth,  to  whose  division  we  belong.  As  I  told  you 
in  my  last  we  made  our  preparations  to  leave  Vera 
Cruz  on  the  nineteenth.  .  .  .  Just  before  dark  we 
commenced  our  march  moving  over  the  sandy  plain 
to  the  north  of  Vera  Cruz.  Our  teams  were  drawn  by 
the  wild  mustang  horses  we  had  brought  from  Tlacatal- 
pin,  which  were  perfectly  unbroken  and  could  not  be 
made  to  go.  In  consequence  drag  ropes  were  fastened 
to  the  wagons  and  our  poor  men  were  compelled  not 
only  to  draw  them  but  the  horses,  too.  After  toiling 
some  hours  we  halted  at  a  small  stream  of  bad  water 


134  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

where  it  united  with  the  sea  about  three  miles  from 
Vera  Cruz.  I  refreshed  myself  with  a  delicious  bath 
in  the  tumbling  surf  and  "  with  my  martial  cloak 
around  me  "  slept  on  the  sands  till  four  in  the  morning. 
We  then  started  on  our  weary  route,  toiling  over  the 
deep  sand  dragging  the  wagons  and  gradually  break 
ing  our  horses  to  their  work. 

We  made  but  six  miles  that  day  and  bivouacked  at 
the  small  town  of  Santa  Fe.  All  day  we  had  been 
hearing  reports  of  the  terrible  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo. 

Our  march  on  the  twenty-first  commenced  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  was  over  a  hilly  country, 
but  on  a  tolerably  good  road.  Our  horses  began  to 
work  very  well  for  mustangs,  and  we  labored  on  under 
a  burning  tropical  sun,  some  of  the  men  breaking 
down  from  the  intense  heat,  till  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  when  we  halted  near  some  water  where  there 
was  a  fine  shade,  and  rested  six  hours.  Several  cattle 
out  of  the  immense  droves  around  us  were  shot,  and  we 
all  got  a  good  dinner.  We  could  not  march  during  the 
middle  of  the  day,  for  there  was  a  breathless  calm  and 
the  sun  would  have  melted  men  and  horses  in  an  hour. 

We  struck  Santa  Anna's  farm  about  twelve  miles 
from  Vera  Cruz.  It  is  thirty  miles  wide  and  extends 
to  within  a  short  distance  of  Jalapa,  making  it  about 
fifty  miles  long.  It  is  said  there  are  more  than  sixty 
thousand  cattle  roaming  over  its  pastures  to  say 
nothing  of  the  sheep  and  horses. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  135 

About  four  in  the  afternoon  we  resumed  our  march 
and  continued  on  into  the  night  having  made  about 
sixteen  miles.  At  the  usual  hour  in  the  morning  we 
proceeded  and  at  ten  in  the  morning  reached  the 
famous  Puente  Nacional,  much  the  most  remarkable 
bridge  I  have  ever  seen,  stretching  with  many  heavy 
stone  arches  over  a  beautiful,  rapid  mountain  stream. 
The  bridge  lies  in  a  natural  pass  which  a  few  brave 
men  might  defend  against  armies. 

Above  it  on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  hill  frowns  a 
massive  stone  fort.  The  town  at  the  northwest  end 
of  the  bridge  which  usually  contains  several  hundred 
inhabitants,  we  found,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  men, 
entirely  deserted.  On  a  hill  on  the  border  of  the  village 
is  a  magnificent  residence,  one  of  Santa  Anna's  coun- 
tryseats,  at  which  we  spent  the  day,  the  men  refresh 
ing  themselves  by  bathing.  At  six  in  the  evening  the 
advance  sounded — we  marched  off,  up  hill  for  two  or 
three  miles,  when  we  found  the  road  quite  level  and 
excellent.  We  were  occasionally  shocked  by  the  sight 
of  some  poor  soldier  who  had  been  shot  by  the  wayside 
and  whose  unsepulchred  remains  were  rotting  on  the 
ground.  The  road  began  to  be  strewed  with  the  offen 
sive  bodies  of  dead  horses  and  cattle,  and  the  frag 
ments  of  broken  wagons,  etc.,  which  are  ever  scattered 
behind  an  army.  We  marched  on  steadily  until  about 
two  in  the  morning,  when  after  descending  a  very  long 
steep  hill  down  which  the  road  winds  we  halted  at  the 


136  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

town  of  Plan  del  Rio,  four  miles  from  the  battle  field  of 
Cerro  Gordo.  Every  hut,  every  place  of  shelter  was 
found  filled  with  the  wounded. 

We  had  marched  after  sunset  eighteen  miles,  and 
as  soon  as  we  halted  the  weary  men  dropped  on  the 
rugged,  dirty  earth,  the  officers  promiscuously  scat 
tered  among  them.  I  was  officer  of  the  day  and  as 
soon  as  I  had  posted  a  few  sentinels  I  lay  down  in  the 
very  dust  and  dirt  of  the  road  with  no  bed  or  covering 
but  my  cloak,  and  in  spite  of  the  groans  of  the  wounded 
and  the  shrieks  of  those  who  were  suffering  from  the 
knives  of  the  surgeons,  I  slept  soundly  for  three  hours. 

In  the  morning  I  visited  those  of  my  friends  who 
were  wounded,  among  whom  is  Poet  Patten,  all  his 
left  hand  but  the  forefinger  and  thumb  having  been 
carried  off  by  a  grape  shot.  He  was  doing  well  and  is 
very  cheerful.  I  consoled  him  with  the  fact  that 
though  he  could  no  longer  play  the  guitar  he  might 
write  better  poetry  than  before. 

Here  was  to  be  seen  every  stage  of  suffering  from 
wounds,  but  I  will  not  describe  to  you  the  sickening 
scenes  I  have  witnessed.  We  marched  at  five  in  the 
afternoon,  being  still  twenty  miles  from  Jalapa.  We 
moved  rapidly  until  we  reached  the  battle  field,  which 
was  at  a  pass  that  a  few  brave  men  ought  to  hold 
against  the  united  world.  It  is  three  miles  long,  and 
by  far  the  strongest  I  have  ever  seen.  I  have  not  tune 
to  record  the  various  anecdotes  I  have  heard  or  to 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  137 

give  a  detailed  description  of  the  battle.  It  is  cer 
tainly  the  most  dreadful  defeat  the  Mexicans  have 
ever  yet  received  and  yet  so  confident  were  they  of 
victory  that  the  citizens  of  Jalapa  rode  to  the  ground 
to  see  the  rout  of  our  army  and  fireworks  were  pre 
pared  at  various  points  to  celebrate  the  flight  of  the 
"  North  Americans."  Santa  Anna  publicly  took  an 
oath  at  the  altar  to  conquer  or  leave  his  body  on  the 
field.  —  N.  B.  He  was  among  the  first  to  run. 

At  two  o'clock  yesterday  we  reached  this  place,  the 
prettiest  town  I  have  seen,  surrounded  by  the  finest 
country  with  the  most  delicious  climate  in  the  world, 
the  thermometer  never  rising  above  eighty  degrees  or 
falling  much  below  sixty.  A  cloth  coat  is  never  un 
comfortable,  and  one  does  not  suffer  in  his  shirt 
sleeves.  It  is  more  than  four  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  Fruit  and  vegetables  are  abundant 
and  cheap. 

There  are  some  very  ancient  buildings  here  —  I 
have  seen  but  one  yet,  a  chapel  built  by  Hernando 
Cortes.  There  is  now  a  large  Franciscan  monastery 
attached  to  it  and  the  National  College. 

The  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  is  not  likely  to  terminate 
the  war  as  we  supposed.  The  Mexicans  appear  de 
termined  never  to  give  up  even  if  we  should  take  every 
town  and  fortress  in  the  nation.  What  a  stupid  people 
they  are!  They  can  do  nothing  and  their  continued 
defeats  should  convince  them  of  it.  They  have  lost 


138  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

six  great  battles;  we  have  captured  six  hundred  and 
eighty  cannon,  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  stand  of 
arms,  made  twenty  thousand  prisoners,  have  posses 
sion  of  the  greatest  portion  of  their  country  and  are 
fast  advancing  upon  their  Capital  which  must  soon 
be  ours,  —  yet  they  refuse  to  treat!  "Those  the 
gods  wish  to  destroy,  they  first  make  mad."  .  .  . 

CASTLE  OF  PEROTE, 
April  29,  1847. 

I  wrote  you  a  few  hastily  penned  pages  from  Jalapa 
in  which  I  briefly  noted  our  march  from  Tlacatalpin 
to  Vera  Cruz,  and  from  that  place  to  Jalapa.  The 
entire  route  is  full  of  interest,  many  points  being  the 
scenes  of  severe  contests  of  Hernando  Cortes,  and 
besides  the  historical  interest  connected  with  every 
foot  of  the  road,  the  scenery  on  every  side  is  of  the 
grandest  character.  The  great  national  road  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico,  which  is  an  admirably  con 
structed  pavement,  the  work  of  the  old  Spaniards, 
winds  up  and  down  the  sides  of  the  huge  hills  now 
abruptly  ascending,  now  pitching  into  some  deep 
valley,  where  it  crosses  the  ravine  or  dashing  stream 
by  a  stone  bridge  whose  beautiful  construction  puts 
to  shame  anything  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States. 

The  entire  distance  after  the  traveler  passes  Jalapa 
is  bordered  with  the  luxuriant  growth  of  tropical 
climes  from  the  stately  palm  to  the  most  diminutive 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  139 

cactus.  The  gorgeous  flowers  of  this  region  are  now 
in  full  bloom,  and  surpass  anything  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom  of  which  I  had  before  conceived.  On  the 
twenty-sixth,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  our  regiment 
marched  out  of  Jalapa  over  the  road  of  which  I  have 
been  speaking.  For  about  two  miles  it  descended  be 
tween  beautiful  pastures  enclosed  with  good  stone 
fences,  and  occasionally  a  corn  or  barley  field  all  look 
ing  precisely  like  New  England  and  lacking  only  its 
thriving  population.  The  climate  of  this  region  can 
not  be  surpassed,  the  soil  is  exceedingly  rich  and  all 
the  fruits  in  the  world  grow  in  it.  If  I  could  have  my 
friends  around  me  and  a  good  government  I  should 
delight  to  pass  my  life  in  Jalapa.  We  halted  at  a  little 
stream  in  the  valley  near  a  cotton  factory,  at  the  base 
of  a  rugged  hill  with  an  unwriteable  Indian  name, 
where  Cortes  fought  one  of  his  hardest  battles.  As 
soon  as  our  train  was  in  position  we  began  the  ascent 
of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountain,  the  road  winding 
along  its  side  and  rising  rapidly  towards  its  summit. 
The  afternoon  was  delightful,  the  air  clear  and  bracing 
as  on  a  November  day  in  New  York;  the  setting  sun 
shone  brilliantly  on  the  snowy  peak  of  Orizaba  whose 
high  crest  was  constantly  in  our  view.  At  dark  we 
reached  the  village  of  San  Miguel.  In  this  mountain 
region  the  air  was  cold,  a  damp,  chilly  fog  closed  around 
us  making  it  necessary  to  quarter  the  men  in  some  of 
the  buildings,  while  the  officers  took  possession  of  the 


140  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

house  of  the  curate  who  had  fled  his  charge  under  the 
universal  panic  following  the  defeat  of  Cerro  Gordo. 
This  village  most  beautifully  located  in  a  kind  of  semi- 
sphere  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  with  fine  water, 
a  glorious  climate,  and  a  productive  soil,  is  a  most 
miserable,  filthy  place. 

April  27.  In  the  morning  before  sunrise  we  con 
tinued  our  ascent,  the  road  winding  round  the  edge 
of  the  wide  semisphere  in  which  the  village  lay.  As 
we  arrived  at  the  top  the  sun  unobscured  by  a  cloud 
rose  above  the  horizon,  apparently  far  below  us,  his 
first  rays  lighting  the  peak  of  Orizaba  and  showing 
us  far  in  the  distance  the  shining  spires  and  domes  of 
the  beautiful  city  of  Jalapa.  The  clouds  in  many- 
colored,  gorgeous  piles  were  resting  on  the  summit  of 
the  mountains  while  the  soft  mists  were  lying  in  the 
lap  of  the  hills  below,  the  cultivated  valleys  showing 
all  their  beauties  between,  while  here  and  there  a 
bold  precipice  or  ragged  peak  gave  sublimity  to  the 
scene  which  was  "  beautiful  exceedingly."  I  was  in 
the  advance  with  the  vanguard,  being  officer  of  the 
day,  and  halted  to  gaze  upon  the  view.  I  know  not 
whether  I  am  more  susceptible  to  the  effects  of  fine 
scenery  than  others  —  but  this  which  was  by  far  the 
most  glorious  picture  of  nature  I  have  ever  beheld 
completely  overcame  me,  and  I  dropped  on  the  earth 
to  breathe  a  prayer  and  a  thanksgiving  to  a  good  God 
who  had  made  such  a  glorious  world. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  141 

As  we  advanced  ascending  during  the  day  the  tropi 
cal  plants  and  trees  were  fast  disappearing  from  the 
road,  being  replaced  by  those  of  a  more  rigorous 
climate.  Apples  and  peach  trees  were  almost  the 
only  fruit-bearing  ones  we  saw,  now  in  full  blossom, 
and  the  pine  almost  the  only  forest  tree.  About  ten 
o'clock  I  was  startled  by  the  sight  of  a  new  Troy- 
built  stagecoach  which,  drawn  by  six  mules,  driven 
by  a  Yankee  and  filled  with  Yankee  passengers,  was 
dashing  down  the  mountain  road  at  the  speed  of  ten 
miles  an  hour.  I  looked  at  it  and  the  apple  trees  by 
my  side  and  could  almost  imagine  I  was  ascending 
some  hill  in  New  York. 

About  noon  we  reached  the  pass  of  La  Hoya,  a  wild 
ravine  overlooked  by  the  fortified  peaks  of  the  hills 
around  it  and  passing  directly  through  the  extinct 
crater  of  an  ancient  volcano.  This  position  is  as  strong 
as  Cerro  Gordo  and  preparations  had  been  made  to 
defend  it,  but  the  enemy  abandoned  it  and  their 
cannon,  under  the  panic  which  seems  to  have  seized 
the  entire  nation  after  the  battle  of  the  eighteenth. 
This  is  the  highest  point  in  the  road  between  the  coast 
and  the  City  of  Mexico,  about  nine  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  We  were  glad  to  commence  the  descent. 
Before  night  we  halted  at  a  small  stream,  Agua  Frio, 
having  marched  thirteen  miles.  On  our  left  towered 
the  lofty  peak,  Coffre  del  Perote,  in  our  front  could 
be  seen  the  snowy  summit  of  Popocatepetl  and  the 


142  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

silver  crest  of  Orizaba  was  also  still  visible.  A  stone 
bridge  spanned  the  small  stream  near  us,  and  just 
above  it  was  a  distillery  in  full  operation. 

Our  bivouac  was  made  around  the  ruins  of  an  old 
palace.  It  was  a  massive,  square  construction  nearly 
one  hundred  feet  on  a  side.  A  colonnade  with  heavy 
arches  and  pillars  ran  the  entire  extent  of  the  front. 
Passing  through  the  only  gate,  I  entered  a  square  court 
about  fifty  feet  on  a  side,  surrounded  by  Doric  columns 
which  once  supported  the  roof  of  the  porches  into 
which  the  extensive  rooms  of  the  building  opened. 
The  inhabitants  know  nothing  of  its  history  and  it 
has  evidently  been  abandoned  for  centuries.  Every 
particle  of  woodwork  is  decayed,  the  roofs  entirely 
gone,  and  the  earth  has  gradually  risen,  nearly  cover 
ing  the  bases  of  the  pillars  and  burying  the  marble 
pavements  many  feet  below.  It  was  a  moated  work, 
the  remains  of  the  ditch  being  evident  on  two  sides, 
serving  now  for  fences  to  the  adjoining  fields.  Trees 
are  growing  from  some  of  the  rooms,  showing  the  ex 
treme  antiquity  of  the  building.  It  was  probably 
erected  by  some  of  the  Spanish  nobles  who  came  to 
this  country  soon  after  the  conquest  by  Cortes.  Here 
knights  have  armed  for  the  battle  and  celebrated  their 
victories  on  their  return.  Here  blushing  beauty  has 
listened  to  the  amorous  tale  breathed  in  her  ear  by 
her  warrior  lover.  Where  are  they  all  now  ?  The 
beauties  have  mouldered  in  the  tomb  forgotten.  The 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  143 

very  memory  of  the  knights  is  gone.    In  the  weirds  of 
an  old  poet: 

"  Their  bones  are  dust, 
Their  swords  are  rust, 
Their  souls  are  with  their  God  we  trust." 

April  28.  The  sun  was  far  above  the  horizon  be 
fore  we  marched,  as  we  had  but  nine  miles  to  make 
to  Perote.  We  soon  came  upon  the  extensive  plain 
upon  which  stands  the  celebrated  castle.  The  plain 
which  extends  for  many  miles  is  eight  or  nine  miles  in 
width  with  a  light  but  productive  soil.  The  castle  of 
Perote  is  nearly  in  its  centre,  perhaps  nearer  the  west 
ern  extremity,  and  about  one  mile  to  the  south  of  it 
is  the  village,  overhung  by  the  Coffre  del  Perote.  I 
rode  into  the  town  before  going  to  the  castle,  which  is 
garrisoned  by  the  Sixth  and  Eighth  Infantry,  saw 
General  Worth,  and  Major  Kirby,  from  whom  I  re 
ceived  my  desk  upon  which  I  am  now  writing.  The 
village  is  a  fourth-rate  Mexican  town  but  the  castle  is 
a  chef-d'ceuvre.  A  square,  bastioned  work,  every 
portion  of  it  complete  and  of  the  most  massive  con 
struction,  capable  of  containing  many  thousand  men 
and  of  enduring  a  long  siege  —  but  notwithstanding 
its  strength,  the  Mexicans  fled  from  it  without  attempt 
ing  its  defence.  We  have  no  work  to  compare  with 
it  in  the  United  States.  It  was  completed  in  1776. 

The  advance  of  General  Worth's  division  is  some 
twenty  miles  from  here,  and  we  shall  soon  move  on 


144  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Puebla.  Since  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  the  Mexican 
Congress  have  passed  a  law  making  it  treason  for  any 
one  to  propose  peace,  in  fact,  declaring  perpetual  war. 
Rejou  and  Gomez  Farrias  have  been  endeavoring  to 
get  up  a  peace  party  and  have  been  denounced  as 
traitors  by  the  Mexican  papers.  They  are  very  in 
fluential  and  known  to  be  patriots.  I  have  therefore 
some  hopes  that  they  may  succeed  and  that  we  are 
near  the  end  of  the  war.  If  they  do  not,  I  see  no  re 
sult  but  an  armed  occupation,  colonization,  and  years 
of  guerilla  warfare.  .  .  . 

CASTLE  OF  PEROTE, 
April  30,  1847. 

...  I  have  been  all  day  preparing  muster  rolls.  I 
miss  Meyerbach  very  much  in  these  matters.  My 
company  like  all  the  rest  in  the  regiment  is  in  bad 
order.  It  numbers  ninety-six  and  only  seventy-nine 
are  present,  nearly  half  of  whom  are  recruits  who  have 
been  drilled  but  little  or  none  at  all.  I  shall,  however, 
make  a  strong  effort  to  give  them  some  instruction  at 
every  delay  on  our  route.  I  mentioned  in  some  one 
of  my  letters  that  I  belonged  to  Lieu  tenant- Colonel 
C.  F.  Smith's  light  battalion  of  four  companies.  I 
was  separated  from  it  before  the  close  of  the  siege  at 
Vera  Cruz,  but  on  arriving  here  I  was  informed  that 
I  would  be  ordered  to  rejoin  it  immediately,  but  before 
the  order  was  published  I  requested  through  Major 
Kirby  to  be  allowed  to  remain  here  till  after  muster. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  145 

Other  circumstances  I  think  will  delay  me  a  few  days 
longer.  I  have  been  on  a  Council  of  Administration 
today  for  concurrence  in  the  appointment  of  a  chap 
lain  to  our  brigade.  The  Rev.  Mr.  McCarty  of  our 
church,  formerly  from  Oswego,  receives  the  appoint 
ment.  I  am  not  much  acquainted  with  him,  but  he 
appears  to  be  an  excellent  man.  It  will  really  be  re 
freshing  to  hear  another  sermon,  which  pleasure  I 
hope  to  have  on  Sunday,  though  perhaps  by  that  time 
I  may  be  on  some  far  away  scout.  The  rainy  season, 
I  believe,  has  commenced,  for  there  has  been  a  heavy 
shower  every  evening  since  we  arrived,  and  this  morn 
ing  the  lofty  summit  of  the  Coffre  del  Perote  was 
covered  with  snow  which  had  fallen  during  the  night. 
I  feel  extremely  sad  and  lonesome  in  this  great  prison- 
like  castle.  Every  sound  echoes  through  its  vast  halls 
and  interminable  galleries,  and  although  there  are  so 
many  of  us  in  it,  it  is  so  capacious  that  it  scarcely 
appears  to  be  occupied.  The  ordnance  command 
here  have  been  busied  today  in  breaking  up  the  Mexi 
can  arms  found  in  the  castle.  Muskets,  escopets,  and 
rifles  have  been  literally  smashed.  The  gun  stocks 
are  used  for  firewood  and  the  barrels  and  locks 
broken  on  an  anvil.  They  can  be  of  no  use  to  us  and 
it  is  determined  they  shall  be  of  none  to  the  enemy. 
Those  taken  on  the  battle  field  were  burnt.  The  iron 
cannons,  I  am  told,  are  all  to  be  destroyed  and  the 
brass  and  copper  guns  to  be  taken  to  the  United 


146  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

States.  What  fools  the  Mexicans  are  that  they  don't 
make  peace! 

May  i.  .  .  .  An  order  has  been  received  from 
General  Scott  directing  a  forward  movement  of  the 
whole  army  to  commence  as  soon  as  the  large  pro 
vision  train  arrives.  By  this  order  it  appears  that  he 
intends  to  abandon  his  rear  and  suffer  his  communica 
tions  with  the  coast  to  be  cut  off.  The  army,  there 
fore,  is  to  depend  upon  the  country  for  supplies  which 
will  probably  be  scanty  enough  —  however,  "  For 
ward  "  is  the  word;  the  "  Halls  of  the  Montezumas  " 
our  destination,  and  I  confidently  think  that  we  shall 
soon  be  in  possession  of  the  Capital,  though  I  do  not 
believe  a  "  peace  will  be  conquered."  The  guerilla 
system  is  already  in  operation.  The  train  which  is 
now  coming  up  was  attacked  a  few  days  since,  and 
some  killed  and  wounded  on  both  sides,  though  the 
Mexicans  were  repulsed. 

May  2.  It  is  Sunday.  I  attended  divine  service 
this  morning.  A  table  was  placed  under  the  porch  of 
the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  which  served  as  a 
desk.  The  men  were  paraded  in  masses  in  the  court 
yard,  the  officers  standing  near  the  chaplain.  After 
reading  the  service  he  preached  a  good  sound,  though 
unornamented  sermon  on  the  necessity  of  religion; 
it  was  a  continuation  of  his  discourse  of  last  Sunday. 
This  is  the  first  Protestant  service  I  have  heard  since 
I  left  Syracuse  in  August,  1846.  I  am  officer  of  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  147 

day  and  my  company  the  castle  guard.  In  the  course 
of  my  duties  I  have  been  completely  round  the  work 
in  the  ditch. 

On  the  west  side,  in  the  curtain  near  the  flank  wall 
of  the  south  bastion,  I  observed  a  huge  wooden  cross 
mortised  into  a  circular  stone  pedestal  about  two  feet 
in  height.  At  the  junction  of  the  pedestal  and  cross 
is  a  stone  step  a  few  inches  high  sufficiently  large  for 
a  man's  feet,  and  at  the  extremity  of  the  horizontal 
arms  of  the  cross  are  arrangements  for  fastening  hands. 
The  wall  behind  the  cross  was  thickly  marked  with 
musket  balls  for  fifty  feet  in  each  direction.  All  round 
the  pedestal  and  upon  it  were  the  bleaching  bones, 
skulls,  arms,  legs,  and  vertebrae,  promiscuously 
mingled,  of  those  who  had  been  executed  here,  and 
left  to  the  worm  and  buzzard  without  sepulchre.  As 
I  gazed  upon  these  remains  of  poor  mortality,  I 
thought  perhaps  they  were  the  relics  of  those  brave 
Texans  who  were  captured  at  Mier,  many  of  whom 
were  executed  here.  This  is  probably  the  place  of 
general  execution  for  the  castle. 

HACIENDO,  SAN  ANTONIO, 
May  3,  1847. 

About  ten  this  morning  I  received  an  order  to  march 
as  an  escort  to  the  siege  train  under  Hayner  to  this 
place  and  then  to  proceed  to  Tipi  Gualco  to  join  the 
light  battalion.  My  company  marched  out  of  the 
castle  about  half-past  one,  took  the  great  road  to 


148  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

Mexico,  and  before  sunset  reached  here,  eight  miles 
from  Perote,  where  there  is  a  large  garrison  under 
Major  Wright.  This  hacienda  is  worthy  of  a  descrip 
tion.  The  front  of  it  is  immediately  on  the  road  - 
the  main  entrance  being  through  the  building  and 
opening  upon  an  enclosure  of  at  least  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  on  a  side,  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall 
with  flanking  towers  on  the  diagonal  corners.  On 
two  sides  of  it  are  extensive  sheds,  and  in  the  centre 
a  large  and  very  deep  well  from  which  the  water  is 
drawn  by  horse  or  mule  power.  The  animal  is  har 
nessed  to  a  sweep  which  turns  a  windlass  like  an  old- 
fashioned  cider  mill.  He  moves  round  in  one  direction 
until  the  bucket  reaches  the  top,  when  he  is  turned 
and  travels  the  opposite  way  until  the  other  bucket 
comes  up.  This  is  kept  going  night  and  day,  the  water 
being  turned  into  troughs  from  which  it  is  used  for 
every  purpose,  agricultural  and  domestic.  There  are 
now  in  the  storehouses  here  more  than  ten  thousand 
bushels  of  corn  and  barley  which  have  been  purchased 
by  our  quarter-master.  About  the  exterior  are  huge 
stacks  of  straw  and  corn  stalks  for  fodder,  no  hay  being 
ever  made  in  this  country.  This  estate,  which  belongs 
to  a  young  man,  is  twelve  miles  square  and  has  on  it 
large  herds  of  cattle,  flocks  of  sheep,  droves  of  mules, 
horses,  and  swine,  and  some  hundreds  of  slaves  — 
they  are  called  peons  —  who  are  under  the  worst  kind 
of  bondage,  belonging  to  their  masters  until  they  get 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  149 

out  of  debt  to  him,  which  he  takes  care  they  never 
shall  do.  These  poor  creatures  under  an  overseer  are 
turned  out  to  work  before  daylight.  They  are  as 
sembled  in  a  sort  of  military  array  before  a  great  cross 
erected  near  the  main  entrance  of  the  hacienda,  where 
they  all  join  in  a  matin  song.  When  they  return  from 
work  in  the  evening  a  similar  ceremony  takes  place,  - 
in  the  presence  of  the  overseer,  mounted  on  his  horse, 
they  sing  their  hymn  to  the  Virgin.  The  song  con 
cluded  they  retire  to  their  huts  to  gather  strength, 
amidst  their  dirt,  for  another  day's  servitude. 

We  hear  that  General  Scott  says  that  in  all  proba 
bility  our  communication  with  Vera  Cruz  will  be  cut 
off  from  six  to  nine  months.  A  sweet  prospect  not  to 
hear  from  you  for  nine  months!  I  don't  believe  the 
story  —  it  must  be  all  gammon !  I  shall  continue  to 
write  as  hitherto.  We  march  in  the  morning  at  sun 
rise.  .  .  . 

May  4,  Tipi  Gualco  (old  Indian  meaning,  lost).  We 
left  San  Antonio  early  this  morning.  A  heavy  mist 
lay  upon  the  plain  making  it  quite  dark  and  wetting 
us  almost  as  completely  as  a  drenching  rain.  I  felt 
wretchedly.  Last  night  after  writing  in  a  room  full  of 
officers  who  were  sleeping  around  me,  I  put  out  my 
light  and  lay  down,  but  soon  felt  an  attack  of  gastritis 
coming  on.  I  endeavored  to  lie  still  not  being  willing 
to  disturb  any  one,  in  the  hope  it  would  soon  pass  off. 
It,  however,  became  unendurable  and  I  was  com- 


ISO  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

pelled  to  arouse  my  man  Barney  who  slept  in  the 
anteroom  and  send  for  the  doctor.  He  soon  relieved 
me,  but  as  usual  I  am  paying  for  it  today.  Mem.  - 
Barney  is  a  character.  For  many  years  he  was  in  the 
service  of  W.  R.  Johnson,  the  "  Napoleon  of  the  Turf," 
and  rode  Peytona  on  all  her  famous  races.  He  is  an 
acute  little  jockey,  and  a  most  excellent  servant.  He 
has  become  much  attached  to  me  and,  I  believe,  serves 
me  from  pure  love. 

About  eight  o'clock  the  mist  suddenly  rolled  away 
over  the  tops  of  the  high  mountains  about  us,  showing 
that  we  were  on  an  arid  plain  herbless  and  desolate. 
Our  whole  route  was  the  same  until  at  eleven  o'clock 
we  reached  this  town  situated  at  the  base  of  a  high 
pumice  stone  mountain  of  the  same  name.  Every 
thing  here  showed  decay  and  misrule.  I  reported  to 
Colonel  Garland  and  to  Lieutenant- Colonel  Smith, 
and  after  an  hour  or  two  succeeded  in  obtaining  shelter 
for  my  company  and  myself  in  a  dirty,  ruined  place 
nearly  a  mile  from  the  rest  of  the  brigade.  By  some 
labor  we  have  made  it  comfortable  and  a  cup  of  coffee 
has  made  me  feel  quite  well.  We  are  near  the  house 
of  the  curate,  and  this  afternoon,  with  Rossell  and 
Farrelly,  I  visited  him. 

He  was  nearly  frightened  to  death  when  we  entered 
his  domicile  —  or  rather  yard  —  at  the  gate  of  which 
he  was  standing,  and  taking  off  his  high-crowned 
sombrero,  he  bowed  nearly  to  the  earth.  We  sat  down 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  151 

in  his  humble  dwelling  and  soon  succeeded  in  restoring 
his  confidence,  especially  after  Farrelly  assured  him 
he  was  a  Catholic.  We  went  through  the  church  which 
is  very  large,  and  was  once  a  fine  building  but  is  now 
much  dilapidated.  The  padre  accompanied  us  to  our 
quarters,  and  after  sipping  a  glass  of  wine  with  us  out 
of  a  tin  pint  cup  left  us  apparently  quite  our  friend. 
In  this  high  desert  land  fleas  and  ticks  are  too  wise  to 
live,  so  I  hope  to  pass  a  quiet  night.  Buenos  noches. 

May  5.  Nothing  new  today  either  from  the  front 
or  rear  save  a  rumor,  which  I  think  entirely  unfounded, 
that  Trowbridge  and  his  clerk  have  been  murdered 
near  Santa  Fe.  I  do  not  believe  that  he  has  yet  ar 
rived  at  Vera  Cruz.  I  beg  you  to  continue  to  write 
to  me  as  hitherto,  for  the  reinforcements  which  must 
continue  to  arrive  will  escort  the  mails  from  Vera  Cruz, 
even  should  we  be  unable  to  send  ours  to  that  point. 
Be  under  no  apprehensions  on  my  account  if  you  do 
not  hear  from  me.  My  health  is  good  and  I  shall  take 
good  care  to  keep  it  so.  We  are  in  a  healthy  region 
and  I  do  not  believe  we  shall  have  another  general 
action. 

My  opinion  of  volunteers  and  the  whole  volunteer 
system  is  not  changed  in  the  least.  They  are  expen 
sive,  unruly,  and  not  to  be  relied  upon  in  action.  Their 
conduct  towards  the  poor  inhabitants  has  been  horri 
ble,  and  their  coming  is  dreaded  like  death  in  every 
village  in  Mexico,  while  the  regulars  are  met  by  the 


152  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

people  almost  as  friends.  A  portion  of  them  (the 
volunteers)  have  fled  in  every  action  in  which  they 
have  been  engaged  and  they  can  never  succeed  unless 
supported  by  the  line.  At  Monterey,  Buena  Vista, 
and  Cerro  Gordo  portions  of  them  ran.  General 
Taylor  says  in  a  letter  that  at  Buena  Vista,  had  they 
not  been  turned  back  by  the  enemy  who  had  got  to 
his  rear,  many  more  than  did  would  have  entirely 
fled  the  battle  field.  Pillow's  Brigade  of  volunteers 
were  defeated  at  Cerro  Gordo,  and  he  requested  the 
General  to  send  him  a  few  regulars,  if  only  one  com 
pany,  to  support  and  set  an  example  to  his  men.  The 
first  instance  is  yet  to  occur  in  this  war  in  which  a 
regular  has  abandoned  his  post  or  been  defeated. 
Portions  of  the  volunteers  have  fought  most  gallantly, 
but  when  they  will  fight,  and  when  they  won't,  can 
only  be  determined  by  experiment.  I  am  aware  that 
these  opinions  would  be  considered  almost  treasonable 
in  the  United  States,  but  here  they  are  the  sentiments 
of  all  the  regulars  and  of  a  large  number  of  the  volun 
teer  officers  in  the  field. 

May  6,  Tepeyahualco  (correct  spelling,  pronounced 
Ta-pa-dh-wolko).  This  was  once  a  fine  little  town, 
most  of  it  is  now  in  ruins.  It  is  between  fifty  and  sixty 
miles  from  Puebla  which  is  said  to  be  the  third  city  in 
Mexico.  There  are  now  here  Duncan's  light  battery, 
the  light  battalion  under  Colonel  C.  F.  Smith,  to 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  153 

which  I  am  acting  major;  the  Second  Artillery  com 
manded  by  Captain  McKenzie,  the  Third  Artillery 
by  Colonel  Belton,  and  the  Fourth  Infantry  under 
Colonel  Graham.  These  battalions  with  five  com 
panies  of  the  Fifth,  which  are  still  at  Perote,  consti 
tute  a  brigade  under  Colonel  Garland.  Our  men  have 
suffered  terribly  here  with  ague  and  fever  and  bilious 
intermittents.  The  sickness  arises  from  their  great 
exposure  in  the  tierra  caliente  near  the  coast,  their 
bivouacking  in  the  heavy  dews  and  rains,  and  the 
excessive  fatigue  of  their  long  march.  The  cases  are 
generally  light,  and  in  this  cool,  healthy  climate  they 
will  soon  recover.  Dr.  Satterlee  is  my  attending 
physician. 

Some  Mexican  gentlemen  came  in  this  morning 
from  Puebla.  One  of  them,  a  very  intelligent  man, 
educated  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  represents  the 
country  as  in  a  most  deplorable  condition,  the  Govern 
ment  as  utterly  disorganized  by  the  battle  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  which  he  pronounces  the  most  serious  blow 
the  Republic  has  ever  received.  The  Government,  he 
says,  is  not  capable  of  carrying  on  the  war  or  of  making 
a  peace.  The  roads  are  filled  with  bands  of  robbers 
under  the  name  of  guerillas,  who  are  as  ready  to 
plunder  and  murder  the  Mexicans  as  they  are  to 
attack  us.  The  city  of  Puebla  has  a  deputation  pre 
pared  to  meet  us  before  we  reach  its  gates  to  escort 
us  within  its  walls,  and  an  officer  ready  to  turn  over 


154  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  public  property.  From  the  best  information  there 
is  not  at  this  time  more  than  four  thousand  Infantry 
of  the  enemy  under  arms  in  all  this  portion  of  Mexico. 
There  are  besides  some  three  thousand  cavalry  under 
General  Canalizo  who  escaped  from  the  battle  of 
Cerro  Gordo,  but  they  are  of  no  account,  and  we 
neither  know  nor  care  where  they  are. 

There  is  no  middle  class  in  this  country.  The  upper 
"  ten  hundred  "  not  "  ten  thousand  "  possess  all  the 
wealth  and  are  continually  quarreling  about  the  con 
trol  of  affairs  and  creating  constant  revolutions.  The 
millions  are  steeped  in  ignorance,  vice,  and  poverty, 
abject  to  the  priests  and  trampled  to  the  dust  by  the 
wealthy.  .  .  . 

May  7.  There  is  a  probability  of  our  remaining 
here  some  days.  Some  troops  were  sent  this  morning 
to  the  village  of  San  Juan,  seven  miles  distant,  to 
secure  certain  supplies  which  were  intercepted  by  a 
petty  robber  chief.  They  returned  this  evening  and 
reported  that  the  chief  had  fled,  but  they  found  San 
Juan  a  fine,  neat  town  containing  three  churches  and 
from  three  to  four  thousand  inhabitants.  It  lies  in  a 
rich,  cultivated  valley  about  twenty  miles  in  extent. 
So  far  we  have  been  able  to  secure  at  high  prices  an 
abundance  of  grain,  flour,  beef,  mutton,  fresh  pork, 
some  coffee,  sugar  and  salt,  with  common  tallow 
candles,  so  that  the  army  can  be  tolerably  well  pro 
visioned  without  transporting  supplies  from  the  sea- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  155 

board  during  the  hot  season.  I  wish  we  could  move 
forward  to  Puebla  where  the  sick  would  be  more  com 
fortable.  I  have  now  forty-five  men  of  my  company 
sick,  twenty-three  of  them  are  present,  and  the  re 
maining  twenty-two  have  been  left  at  various  places 
on  the  route.  .  .  . 

May  8.  This  is  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of 
Palo  Alto,  my  first  fight,  the  first  of  the  war,  and  per 
haps  the  most  important  in  its  consequences.  Little 
did  we  think,  who  were  engaged  in  that  contest,  that 
in  one  year  we  would  be  in  the  heart  of  Mexico,  and 
that  a  salute  in  honor  of  that  victory  would  peal  from 
the  walls  of  San  Juan  D'Ulloa.  Where  shall  we  be  a 
year  hence?  Quien  sabe?  perhaps  in  California, 
perhaps  at  home,  which  may  God  grant. 

Seven  regiments  of  volunteers  are  going  home,  their 
time  having  expired.  This  will  reduce  our  force  so 
much  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  General  Scott  will 
think  it  prudent  to  advance  beyond  Puebla.  .  .  . 

May  9.  This  is  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of 
Resaca.  How  differently  I  feel  now  with  regard  to 
the  war  from  what  I  did  then!  Then  vague  visions  of 
glory  and  a  speedy  peace  floated  through  my  brain. 
Now  I  have  learned  in  common  with  many  other  poor 
fellows  that  it  is  not  he  who  patiently  does  his  duty, 
or  who  in  the  hour  of  danger  is  in  the  front  of  the  battle, 
who  gains  the  laurel  or  the  more  vulgar  reward  of 
government  patronage.  It  is  too  frequently  the 


156  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

sycophant  who  flatters  the  foibles  of  his  commanding 
officer,  he  who  has  political  family  influence,  or  whom 
some  accident  makes  conspicuous,  who  reaps  all  the 
benefits  of  the  exposure  and  labors  of  others.     The 
long  list  of  brevets,  most  outrageously  unjust  as  they 
are,  many  of  them  double,  is  a  register  of  evidence  to 
the  facts  that  success  is  a  lottery  and  that  government 
rewards  are  by  no  means  dependent  on  merit.    How 
tired  and  sick  I  am  of  a  war  to  which  I  can  see  no 
probable  termination !    How  readily  would  I  exchange 
my  profession  for  any  honest,  mechanical  employment, 
were  it  possible  to  do  so!      How  instantly  would  I 
resign  if  I  saw  any  certainty  of  supporting  my  family 
in  tolerable  comfort  or  even  decency  in    civil   life! 
Why  do  I  grumble  or  let  you  know  how  miserable  I 
am  ?    Think  not  I  am  always  so.    It  is  not  often  that 
I  suffer  my  mind  to  dwell  on  these  matters,  or  yield 
to    any    despondency.      General    Worth    ("  Young 
Cortes")  has  arrived  with  the  remainder  of  the  Second 
Brigade.  .  .  .    General  Worth's  division  is  to  march 
at  once  to  Puebla.  .  .  .    General  Worth  informs  me 
that  Major  Kirby  has  gone  back  to  Jalapa  by  order 
of  General  Scott,  who  wants  his  shrewd  counsel  and 
can  find  no  other  man  capable  of  settling  the  confused 
accounts  of  the  "Mohawks"  who  are  tired  of  the  war 
and  are  going  home  to  boast  of  their  deeds  of  arms.  .  .  . 
Rossell  is  in  fine  health.    He  is  an  excellent  officer  and 
ought  to  have  been  brevetted  for  Monterey.  .  .  . 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  157 

VEREYES, 
May  10,  1847. 

I  dispatched  a  missive  to  you  this  morning  just  be 
fore  we  marched  from  Tepeyahualco  which  we  left 
at  eight  in  the  morning.  We  moved  with  the  Dragoons 
under  Thornton  in  advance,  then  Duncan's  light 
battery,  then  Smith's  light  battalion,  of  which  I  am 
acting  major,  not  a  "  real  live  "  major,  not  even  a 
brevet,  then  the  Second  Artillery,  then  the  Third 
under  Bel  ton  l  (who  by  the  bye  expresses  much  in 
terest  in  your  welfare),  then  the  wagon  train,  and 
finally  the  Fourth  Infantry  as  a  rear  guard.  Our 
route  lay  through  the  same  arid  plain  which  I  have 
already  described.  Orizaba's  silver  crest  on  our  left 
shone  in  the  morning  sun  like  a  metallic  dome  to  some 
huge  cathedral,  while  Popocatepetl  just  showed  his 
snowy  summit  over  the  lower  mountains  in  our  ad 
vance,  resembling  a  white  cloud  on  the  far  distant 
horizon.  As  the  sun  approached  the  zenith  it  became 
intensely  hot.  We,  however,  marched  with  great  de 
liberation  and  by  one  o'clock  encamped  in  order  of 
battle  at  this  place,  having  made  twelve  miles. 

This  is  nothing  but  an  extensive  hacienda  where 
besides  the  proprietor's  house  and  a  large  enclosure 
with  the  peons'  huts  there  is  a  chapel  and  a  fine  well. 
Wells  on  this  great  Mexican  plateau  are  property  as 
they  were  in  the  patriarchal  days  of  Abraham. 
1  His  uncle  by  marriage. 


158  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

I  am  now  for  the  first  time  since  the  beginning  of 
the  war  about  to  advance  the  opinion  that  we  are  on 
the  verge  of  a  peace.  As  I  have  been  hitherto  correct 
in  my  prognostics,  I  trust  my  "  second  sight "  will 
not  prove  erroneous  now.  My  reasons  for  advancing 
this  opinion  are  numerous.  This  morning  the  dili 
gence  (the  aforesaid  Troy  stage)  entered  the  town  of 
Tepeyahualco  before  we  left.  It  was  direct  from  the 
City  of  Mexico,  the  first  arrival  from  that  place  since 
the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo.  In  it  were  one  English 
and  three  Mexican  gentlemen,  who  stated  that  the 
peace  party  under  Rejou  and  Gomez  Farrias  was  fast 
gaining  strength;  that  both  at  Puebla  and  Mexico 
the  inhabitants  were  anxious  for  our  presence  to  pro 
tect  them  from  their  own  banditti  who  were  robbing 
the  defenceless;  that  the  church  and  people  were 
now  convinced  that  we  outside  barbarians  had  not 
come  here  to  dismember  the  state  or  destroy  their 
religion;  and  that  the  unconditional  release  of  the 
prisoners  taken  at  Cerro  Gordo  and  their  being  fur 
nished  with  provisions  to  support  them  to  their  homes 
had  produced  such  a  wonderful  effect  upon  the  re 
mainder  of  the  army  that  their  generals  had  been 
obliged  to  embody  them  and  send  them  under  guards 
to  their  villages,  for  fear  that  their  statements  would 
cause  the  residue  of  their  troops  already  disaffected 
to  entirely  disband.  I  see  no  reason  to  doubt  their 
assertions  and  I  now  believe  that  in  two  months 
negotiations  for  peace  will  have  commenced.  .  .  . 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  159 

May  12,  El  Penal.  We  marched  on  the  tenth  as 
usual  passing  several  haciendas.  Our  route  lay  through 
a  country  very  similar  to  that  which  I  have  already 
described.  The  same  bold  mountain  peaks  in  every 
direction  bounding  the  same  extensive  level  plain — the 
great  Mexican  plateau.  The  character  of  the  soil  im 
proved  and  the  cultivated  fields  were  more  numerous 
and  extensive.  About  two  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  a 
beautiful  spot,  Ojo  de  Agua.  This  extensive  hacienda 
lay  at  the  foot  of  a  bold  mountain.  Besides  the  usual 
residence  of  the  wealthy  proprietor,  who  was  there  to 
welcome  us,  there  were  many  neat,  stone  houses  for 
the  peons,  arranged  in  parallel  streets  like  the  negro 
quarters  on  a  large  Louisiana  plantation,  and  a  beau 
tiful  little  chapel  with  an  ornamented  dome  and  two 
steeples  for  bells,  having  in  front  of  it  an  exquisite 
garden  filled  with  rare  tropical  flowers  in  full  bloom. 
I  gathered  a  large  bouquet  which  I  only  wish  I  could 
place  in  your  hand.  We  marched  two  or  three  miles 
from  Ojo  in  a  gale  of  wind,  so  completely  filling  the 
air  with  dust  that  we  could  not  see  a  rod  before  us. 
We  encamped  in  a  corn  field,  the  young  corn  just 
above  the  ground,  at  some  nameless  hacienda.  This 
morning  at  daylight  the  Second  Brigade  of  our 
division  under  Colonel  Clarke  overtook  us,  and  we 
all  marched  at  six  in  the  morning.  We  found  the 
character  of  the  country  much  changed.  On  both 
sides  of  the  road,  the  plain  to  the  base  of  the  moun- 


160  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

tains  and  in  some  instances  far  up  their  sides  was  well 
cultivated  and  in  every  direction  lying  in  the  midst 
of  the  rich  corn  and  barley  fields  were  haciendas  and 
towns.  Some  pear,  peach,  and  apple  trees  grew  along 
the  road  and  an  occasional  grove  of  pines  and  locusts. 
Among  the  more  useful  productions  of  the  soil  is  the 
aloe  or  century  plant,  from  which  is  made  the  pulque, 
the  universal  drink  of  the  Mexicans.  The  fields 
are  divided  by  long  hedges  of  it.  We  arrived  at  the 
town  of  Nopalucam  at  half-past  ten,  an  ordinary 
Mexican  town.  The  padre  more  sensible  than  most 
of  his  brethren  kept  all  his  people  at  home  instead  of 
suffering  them  to  flee  before  us  "  barbarians." 

We  have  heard  that  Santa  Anna  is  in  our  advance 
a  few  leagues  with  a  considerable  force.  When  we 
get  there  if  he  has  not  fled  we  will  give  him  another 
edition  of  Cerro  Gordo.  We  encamped  at  two  o'clock 
about  twenty-two  miles  from  Puebla.  The  wind 
blows  so  I  cannot  write  any  more;  this  bivouacking 
is  ridiculous  business. 

May  ij.  During  the  night  we  had  an  alarm,  several 
shots  were  fired  by  our  pickets  and  the  long  roll  beat. 
We  were  all  under  arms  at  two  o'clock,  and  remained 
so  till  daylight,  when  our  battalion  with  a  squadron 
of  Dragoons  and  two  engineers  with  the  sappers  and 
miners  were  sent  in  advance  to  search  for  some 
fougasses  which  it  was  reported  the  enemy  had  made 
under  the  road.  After  advancing  about  two  miles, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  161 

the  road  winding  along  the  base  of  the  mountain,  we 
reached  the  famous  pass  of  El  Penal.  Here  the  valley 
between  two  mountains  is  narrow,  the  ground  gullied 
and  broken  and  a  broad,  deep  ravine  whose  sides  are 
perpendicular  and  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high  confines 
the  narrow  road  to  the  immediate  base  of  the  moun 
tain,  which  is  precipitous  and  ragged  with  ledges  and 
broken  rocks,  sustaining,  wherever  the  crevices  afford 
sufficient  soil,  large  pine  trees,  hence  the  name.  Here 
the  engineers  found  that  the  Mexicans  had  commenced 
establishing  mines  under  the  road  by  constructing 
galleries  from  the  ravine  but  they  were  abandoned 
incomplete.  Information  was  sent  back  to  the 
general  and  after  advancing  about  a  mile  farther  we 
halted  for  the  main  body  to  come  up.  It  overtook 
us  at  seven  in  the  morning  and  an  hour  after  we 
resumed  our  usual  order  of  march. 

We  soon  entered  the  small  town  of  Acajete  where 
we  halted  again  for  an  hour.  Here  we  were  told  that 
Santa  Anna  had  retreated  from  Puebla,  and  that 
there  had  been  a  Pronunciamento  against  him  in 
Mexico.  After  passing  Acajete  the  road  leaves  the 
mountains,  although  they  are  still  visible  in  every 
direction,  and  passes  through  a  cultivated  plain 
sprinkled  with  small  villages  and  haciendas.  At  one 
place  for  at  least  a  mile  it  is  cut  down  into  the 
soil  ten  feet  resembling  the  deep  cutting  for  a  rail 
road. 


1 62  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

About  one  o'clock  we  entered  Amazoque  which  is 
a  considerable  town  with  a  large  plaza,  several  fine 
churches,  and  some  extensive  barracks  for  Dragoons 
and  Infantry.  The  inhabitants  were  not  at  all  alarmed 
at  our  approach  —  the  streets  were  crowded  as  they 
would  be  in  the  United  States  on  a  training  day,  the 
women  and  men  mingling  freely  among  our  ranks  as 
we  halted  in  the  plaza;  the  hucksters  and  market 
women  were  all  about  us  hawking  their  various  articles 
of  trade.  There  was  a  great  variety  of  fruits  there, 
pines,  oranges,  mama  apples,  cocoanuts,  ripe  cherries, 
raspberries,  and  peaches.  We  soon  got  into  quarters, 
such  as  they  were,  with  the  expectation  of  resting 
here  over  tomorrow  waiting  for  General  Quitman's 
Brigade  one  day  behind  us. 

May  14.  The  morning  broke  most  delightfully,  as 
it  ever  does  in  this  delicious  climate,  and  although  I 
had  been  quite  sick  in  the  night,  I  dressed  in  my  best, 
intending  to  take  a  look  at  the  nut-brown  dames  of 
Amazoque,  when  a  sudden  change  came  over  the 
scene.  The  long  roll  sounded,  a  call  which  always 
thrills  to  the  very  marrow  of  a  soldier,  as  it  never 
beats  on  light  occasions  and  is  the  usual  prelude  to  a 
battle.  Amid  all  the  confusion  it  was  impossible  for 
some  time  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  alarm.  We 
soon  learned  that  a  large  force  was  advancing  from 
the  direction  of  Puebla.  Our  little  battalion  was  kept 
in  the  square  as  a  part  of  the  reserve,  while  a  portion 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  163 

of  the  artillery  and  the  main  Infantry  force  marched 
out  to  meet  the  foe  who  were  moving  round  the  right 
of  the  town,  apparently  to  get  in  our  rear.  Our  cannon 
soon  opened  upon  them,  throwing  them  into  great 
confusion.  By  this  time,  about  nine  o'clock,  we  as 
certained  that  their  force  was  only  about  twenty-five 
hundred  cavalry  with  three  pieces  of  artillery.  They 
did  not  attempt  to  return  our  fire  but  marched  in 
considerable  confusion  to  our  right  and  rear.  As  they 
approached  Quitman's  Brigade,  which  warned  by  our 
guns  was  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle,  they  retreated 
still  farther  to  the  right,  and  thus  ended  the  battle  of 
Amazoque.  With  no  loss  on  our  side  we  took  some 
five  or  six  prisoners,  including  their  chaplain  and  a 
lieutenant,  and  eight  cavalry  horses.  The  number  of 
their  killed  is  variously  estimated  from  twenty  to  fifty. 
Their  forces  were  led  by  Santa  Anna  in  person,  but 
no  one  can  devise  what  could  have  been  the  object  of 
his  movement. 

PUEBLA, 
May  15,  1847. 

After  the  one-sided  fight  yesterday,  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  we  expected  to  remain  in  quiet  until  the  next 
day,  but  our  battalion  and  the  First  Brigade  were 
ordered  to  advance  at  three  o'clock  and  after  marching 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  town  were  halted  near  a 
hacienda,  our  little  battalion  being  far  out  in  a  naked 
corn  field,  where  from  the  nature  of  the  ground  our 


1 64  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

wagons  were  unable  to  reach  us.  It  was  near  night 
when  we  got  our  position  —  the  sky  threatened  a 
storm  and  we  had  been  without  food  nearly  all  the 
day.  We  received  orders  that  no  fires  would  be  al 
lowed,  and  that  the  men  must  remain  by  their  arms 
as  we  were  to  march  sometime  between  eight  and 
ten  in  the  evening.  Before  ten  it  rained  violently 
with  a  driving  wind,  completely  drenching  us  all,  and 
the  time  for  marching  was  changed  to  three  in  the 
morning. 

The  poor  men  were  without  greatcoats  or  blankets 
and  were  excessively  uncomfortable.  I  had  brought 
my  cloak  on  my  horse,  and  with  my  saddle  for  a  pillow, 
I  lay  down  on  the  ground  and  despite  the  pelting 
storm  slept  soundly  until  I  was  waked  by  an  aide-de 
camp  giving  orders  that  the  march  should  be  deferred 
till  daylight.  The  storm  was  entirely  past  and  I  ob 
tained  permission  to  build  a  fire,  by  which  the  men 
dried  their  dripping  clothes  and  put  their  arms  in 
order.  We  started  at  dawn  and  soon  came  into  a 
little  village  from  which  the  spires  and  domes  of 
Puebla  were  visible.  Here  we  saw  two  beautiful 
carriages  of  English  make  which  late  in  the  night 
brought  a  deputation  from  the  city  to  confer  with 
General  Worth.  We  soon  proceeded,  throwing  out 
flankers  and  using  every  precaution  against  surprise. 
About  two  miles  from  the  city  we  halted  at  a  heavy 
stone  bridge  over  a  small  stream  where  the  entire 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  165 

division  with  Quitman's  Brigade  was  closed  up,  our 
baggage  placed  in  rear  of  all  but  a  guard,  when  with 
our  colors  displayed  and  our  bands  playing  national 
airs  we  marched  into  the  city  over  a  fine  macadamized 
road  thronged  with  immense  numbers  of  the  teeming 
population. 

This  place  has  no  suburbs,  does  not  thin  off  to  the 
country  as  our  cities  do,  but  from  the  cultivated  fields 
you  come  at  once  among  the  compactly  built  dwellings. 
The  streets  are  broad,  and  were  swarming  with  the 
multitude  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  —  the  cross 
streets  too  were  filled  in  every  direction,  indeed,  I  am 
sure  I  never  before  saw  half  so  many  people  together. 
Our  little  army  of  four  thousand  was  completely  lost 
in  the  crowds  that  pressed  around  us,  examining  us 
pretty  much  as  they  would  the  animals  in  a  menagerie. 
As  we  marched  in  front  of  the  palace  we  were  saluted 
by  the  municipal  troops,  and  on  reaching  the  large 
central  plaza  we  were  halted,  stacked  our  arms,  and 
rested  about  two  hours  while  quarters  were  assigned 
to  the  different  corps.  I  have  seen  as  yet  but  little 
of  the  place,  but  quite  enough  to  satisfy  me  that  there 
is  nothing  to  compare  with  it  in  the  United  States.  A 
great  many  priests  were  moving  about  among  the 
throng  or  sitting  on  the  balconies  with  the  ladies. 
They  all  wore  black  robes  and  on  their  heads  felt  hats 
resembling  in  shape  a  flattened  piece  of  stove  pipe 
with  a  hole  in  the  side  for  the  head.  As  they  passed 


1 66  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

all  the  people  took  off  their  hats  and  bowed  low.  I 
believe  we  are  all  now  in  our  quarters,  sentinels 
posted  and  patrols  established  for  the  night. 

The  papers  here  state  that  Santa  Anna  lost  ninety 
men  in  the  skirmish  yesterday.  I  have  not  half  told 
the  story  of  the  fight,  but  I  must  cut  off  my  long 
yarn.  .  .  . 

May  16.  .  .  .  Yesterday  after  making  my  toilet  I 
dined  at  the  Commercio,  an  eating-house  near  the 
palace  kept  by  a  little  Frenchman.  This  is  Sunday. 
I  went  to  Mass  at  the  Cathedral.  This  vast  building, 
standing  on  one  side  of  the  plaza  opposite  the  palace, 
far  surpasses  any  church  I  have  ever  seen,  and  is  said 
to  be  the  richest  and  most  beautiful  one  in  the  entire 
New  World.  At  some  future  day  I  may  say  more  of 
this  building,  but  at  present  have  only  time  to  remark 
that  the  interior  is  rich  beyond  description  with  silver 
and  gold  ornaments,  polished  marble,  and  a  very 
great  number  of  admirable  old  paintings  of  great 
value. 

There  have  been  several  cases  of  stabbing  today 
and  one  soldier  killed.  It  is  dangerous  to  go  about 
alone  or  unarmed,  indeed  the  orders  are  that  no  one 
shall  leave  his  quarters  without  arms.  It  is  thought 
that  the  guerillas  and  rabble  are  in  league  together, 
and  in  consequence  of  some  information  to  this  effect 
the  guards  have  been  doubled  this  evening  since  tattoo 
and  all  are  cautioned  to  be  ready  for  service. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  167 

May  17.  Late  last  night  after  scratching  the  above 
I  went  to  bed  but  was  soon  aroused  by  the  galloping 
of  a  horse  which  halted  at  the  entrance  to  my  quarters, 
and  Worth's  adjutant-general  called  to  me  that  he 
desired  to  see  Colonel  Smith.  There  was  a  fresh  alarm 
arising  from  anonymous  letters  to  the  general,  and 
we  were,  therefore,  required  to  be  exceedingly  vigilant. 
He  had  hardly  left  when  a  Mexican  came  groaning  to 
our  door,  severely  stabbed  and  cut  in  the  head.  I 
have  learned  enough  Mexican  to  understand  from  his 
statements  that  the  native  thieves  (ladrones)  were 
robbing  his  house  and  maltreating  his  family,  but  as 
we  make  it  a  rule  to  let  these  people  settle  their  own 
difficulties  we  directed  him  to  go  at  once  to  the  Alcalde. 
The  first  night  of  our  arrival  a  young  woman  was 
stabbed  to  death  immediately  in  front  of  our  quarters, 
and  lay  on  the  pavement  until  ten  o'clock  the  next 
day.  We  were  fortunately  able  to  prove  that  it  was 
the  act  of  a  Mexican.  These  disturbances  made  us 
feel  quite  uneasy  —  we  feared  that  before  morning 
there  would  be  a  general  alarm,  but  nothing  happened, 
all  was  quiet  this  morning  and  so  continued  through 
the  day.  I  have  been  confined  to  my  quarters  most 
of  the  time  in  consequence  of  the  absence  of  Colonel 
Smith  —  the  order  requiring  that  one  of  the  field 
officers  of  each  battalion  be  always  present  with  it. 
General  Worth  and  staff  with  all  the  senior  officers 
called  in  great  state  upon  the  Bishop,  who  is  repre- 


1 68  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

sented  as  a  venerable,  liberal,  and  highly  accomplished 
old  gentleman.  The  call  was  ceremoniously  returned 
in  a  few  hours.  The  courtesy  which  we  are  showing 
to  these  officials  is  certainly  good  policy,  for  if  we  can 
only  get  the  clergy  on  our  side  peace  must  soon  ensue. 
Their  influence,  which  is  unbounded,  can  alone  con 
trol  the  lower  orders  in  this  densely  populated  district. 
I  have  been  in  many  of  the  stores  this  afternoon  and 
made  some  few  purchases.  Ordinary  articles  of  mer 
chandise  are  very  reasonable  though  imported  goods 
are  dear.  A  bottle  of  French  brandy  which  could  be 
had  in  New  York  for  seventy-five  cents  costs  two 
dollars  here,  and  sperm  candles  are  ten  shillings  per 
pound.  Anything  can  be  obtained  here  for  money. 
The  fruit  market  is  admirable.  .  .  .  Everything  is 
quiet  this  evening  —  no  new  cases  of  stabbing  —  I 
think  all  excitement  is  dying  away. 

Our  communications  with  the  coast  are  so  very 
uncertain  that  I  am  likely  to  get  a  large  packet  for 
you  before  I  have  an  opportunity  to  send  it  off. 

May  18 The  inhabitants  are  fast  losing 

their  false  impressions  and  becoming  reconciled  to  us. 
The  more  I  see  of  this  city  the  more  I  admire  it.  It 
is  kept  exceedingly  clean  —  the  streets  which  are  all 
admirably  paved  with  square  blocks  of  granite  look 
as  if  they  were  not  only  swept,  but  scoured.  The  side 
walks  are  about  five  feet  in  breadth.  The  inhabitants 
early  in  the  morning  sweep  in  front  of  their  houses, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  169 

bringing  from  the  interior  the  accumulated  dirt  of  the 
previous  twenty-four  hours,  placing  it  in  heaps  in  the 
middle  of  the  street.  By  sunrise  the  police  carts  are 
passing  and  all  the  filth  is  carried  entirely  out  of  the 
city.  Another  source  of  purification  is  the  regular 
rains,  which  commence  every  day  about  half-past 
four  and  continue  about  three  hours.  The  rest  of  the 
day  is  clear  and  the  temperature  delightful.  This  is 
invariable  for  several  months  in  the  year.  The  city 
is  built  on  a  rich  and  extensive  plain  not  far  from  the 
base  of  the  snow-crowned  mountains,  Orizaba,  Popo 
catepetl,  and  Volcano  de  Puebla,  of  which  I  have 
so  often  spoken  and  of  which  the  eye  never  wearies. 
The  horizon  in  every  other  direction  is  bounded  by 
mountains  of  lesser  magnitude.  The  streets  are  laid 
out  at  right  angles.  The  houses  which  are  admirably 
constructed  in  the  old  Spanish  style  are  generally  two 
stories  in  height,  though  often  three.  On  some  of  the 
streets  and  around  the  main  plaza  the  upper  story 
projects  over  the  sidewalk  and  is  supported  by  arches 
resting  on  a  heavy  colonnade,  often  of  the  purest 
Doric  order.  The  roofs  are  all  flat,  of  stone  or  brick, 
covered  with  excellent  cement.  There  are  no  eave 
gutters,  but  every  few  feet  a  long  spout  of  tin  or  stone 
often  richly  carved  projects  from  the  foot  of  the 
battlement  throwing  the  water  beyond  the  sidewalk. 
In  the  interior  of  each  dwelling  is  a  square  court, 
generally  with  a  fine  fountain  playing  in  the  centre  of 


170  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

a  large,  stone  reservoir,  around  which  are  fruit  and 
ornamental  trees  and  great  numbers  of  pots  contain 
ing  the  beautiful  and  ever-blooming  plants  of  this 
glorious  clime  —  where  there  is  one  eternal  spring. 
Here  once  might  have  been  paradise,  and  still  might 
be,  were  not  man  so  vile.  There  are  a  great  number 
of  fine  churches  in  the  city,  I  should  think  at  least 
twenty,  and  although  the  interiors  of  all  which  I  have 
entered  are  richly  ornamented  with  statuary,  paintings 
and  gilding  they  sink  into  insignificance  compared 
with  the  Cathedral.  Besides  the  "  stove-pipe  priests," 
whom  I  saw  on  the  day  of  our  arrival,  many  others 
are  constantly  passing  to  and  fro  in  the  streets. 
Dominicans  in  their  white  robes,  Franciscans  in  their 
gray  ones,  with  their  deep  hoods  and  rope  girdles.  I 
do  not  know  of  any  nuns  here.  .  .  . 

May  ig.  All  sorts  of  rumors  have  been  flying  about 
among  us.  One  report  is,  and  it  seems  to  be  the  most 
authentic,  that  Santa  Anna  has  abandoned  San 
Miguel  where  he  was  fortifying  with  the  intention 
of  giving  us  battle,  and  has  moved  towards  Mexico. 
It  is  said  a  portion  of  his  troops  —  one  thousand 
cavalry  —  have  left  him.  On  the  fifteenth  instant  the 
presidential  election  took  place  throughout  the  coun 
try.  It  was  over  here  before  we  entered  the  city. 
Santa  Anna,  of  course,  is  a  prominent  candidate, 
though  he  has  lost  much  of  his  popularity,  and  it  is 
thought  will  be  defeated.  It  is  even  reported  here 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  171 

this  afternoon  that  Herrera,  the  peace  candidate,  is 
elected.  I  doubt  it  —  for  it  could  not  be  known  yet, 
if  it  were  so,  as  each  state  or  department,  as  with  us, 
makes  up  its  returns,  which  I  believe  are  counted  at 
the  Capital. 

General  Twiggs  with  his  command  is  expected  in 
two  or  three  days. 

May  20.  Very  little  news  today.  I  regret  that  I 
am  so  much  confined  to  the  quarters  that  I  cannot 
visit  the  forts  about  the  town,  from  one  of  which  the 
famous  pyramid  of  Cholula,  though  several  miles 
distant,  is  visible.  ...  A  large  quantity  of  govern 
ment  tobacco  was  seized  today,  worth  at  least  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  Tobacco  here  is  a  govern 
ment  monopoly  —  its  growth  confined  to  certain  dis 
tricts,  its  universal  use  by  both  sexes  makes  it  a 
source  of  great  revenue. 

May  21.  ...  I  have  been  to  Fort  Loretto  today, 
which  is  built  upon  a  hill  some  two  hundred  feet 
above  the  plain,  and  is  about  fifteen  hundred  yards 
to  the  east  of  the  city,  which  it  commands,  and  is  itself 
commanded  by  the  Church  of  Guadalupe. 

From  it  there  is  an  exquisite  view  of  the  plain,  city, 
and  surrounding  country.  .  .  .  The  people  here 
think  Herrera  is  elected.  I  still  doubt  it.  ... 

Sunday,  May  23.  I  attended  the  service  in  the 
Cathedral  this  morning.  Worth  and  his  staff  were 
there  among  the  crowded  audience,  who  were  kneeling 


172  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

on  the  marble  floor  during  the  gorgeous  ceremonies, 
where  everything  is  calculated  to  strike  the  senses  not 
to  persuade  the  reason.  There  are  but  few  seats  in 
any  of  the  churches  in  this  country,  most  of  the  wor 
shipers  kneeling  in  the  body  of  the  building,  con 
stantly  repeating  their  prayers,  crossing  themselves, 
and  beating  their  breasts  during  the  chanting,  appar 
ently  as  humble  and  contrite  as  beings  can  be. 

May  25.  Nothing  of  interest  has  occurred  today  or 
yesterday.  We  hear  thousands  of  reports  about  the 
Mexican  forces  to  which  I  pay  little  attention.  It 
appears  certain,  however,  that  they  are  assembling 
a  large  force  —  twenty  thousand  it  is  said  —  in  and 
about  the  Capital,  though  they  are  neither  well 
armed  nor  disciplined.  If  we  advance  they  will 
probably  make  a  stand  a  few  leagues  this  side  of  the 
City  of  Mexico.  I  still,  however,  strongly  hope  that 
negotiations  for  peace  will  be  begun  before  we  leave 
this  place  —  though  the  prospect  is  darker  than  it 
was  a  few  days  since.  The  other  division  of  the  army 
under  Twiggs  left  Jalapa  Saturday  and  General  Scott 
on  Sunday,  and  are  expected  to  arrive  here  on  Friday. 
We  shall  then  be  over  eight  thousand  strong.  What 
an  immense  army  to  invade  a  populous  country  and 
conquer  a  nation!  We  may,  in  fact,  be  considered  a 
forlorn  hope !  —  always  contending  against  desperate 
odds. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  173 

If  fifty  thousand  men  had  landed  at  Vera  Cruz,  I 
don't  believe  there  would  have  been  a  battle  and  we 
should  now  be  in  the  City  of  Mexico  or  have  already 
made  peace. 

May  26.  I  am  now  so  much  confined  to  my  quar 
ters,  not  having  left  them  in  three  days,  that  I  see  little 
of  what  is  going  on.  All  is  quiet  in  the  city  though 
we  are  kept  constantly  on  the  alert  by  frequent  reports 
of  projected  risings  among  the  people,  and  a  Mexican 
was  detected  yesterday  night  posting  inflammatory 
handbills.  Report  says  today  that  General  Bravo 
at  the  head  of  sixteen  thousand  men  is  advancing 
from  Mexico.  That  there  is  some  movement  in  that 
quarter  appears  certain,  probably  they  are  fortifying 
some  strong  point  on  the  road  which  they  intend 
to  hold.  Our  communications  are  now  so  uncer 
tain  with  Vera  Cruz  that  I  think  it  exceedingly 
doubtful  if  this  ever  reaches  you.  I  trust,  however, 
you  will  receive  it  and  if  you  do  not  hear  again  for 
months  will  attribute  it  to  the  proper  cause,  and  con 
sole  yourself  with  the  certainty  that  a  heavy  package 
is  accumulating.  ...  It  will  be  well  hereafter  not 
to  draw  any  pay  until  you  hear  that  I  am  in  the  land 
of  the  living  at  the  close  of  the  month  for  which  you 
draw.  I  have  just  been  privately  told  that  a  courier 
leaves  in  the  morning  and  I  expect  to  get  this  into  his 
budget.  I  feel  in  closing  these  sheets  that  I  am  taking 
a  long  leave  of  you  and  my  heart  is  heavy.  .  .  . 


174  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

PUEBLA, 

May  27,  1847. 

As  General  Worth  thought  the  opportunity  a  safe 
one,  I  sent  you  a  packet  yesterday  which  has  been 
accumulating  since  the  tenth  instant.  I  begin  again 
but  with  not  the  least  idea  when  my  letter  will  leave. 
Perfect  quiet  has  reigned  throughout  the  city  for  some 
days.  Last  night  we  heard  that  there  is  no  army  ad 
vancing  from  Mexico  as  had  been  stated  but  that  there 
is  a  force  of  twelve  thousand  at  a  strong  point,  El 
Penon,  three  leagues  this  side  of  the  city. 

May  28.  General  Scott  arrived  today  at  one  o'clock. 
Uncle  Edmund  is  with  him  but  I  have  not  yet  seen 
him.  We  changed  our  quarters  at  two  o'clock  today 
from  one  side  of  the  city  to  the  other.  Later  I  will 
describe  our  position.  Mem.  —  A  beautiful  Mexican 
girl,  the  niece  of  General  Furlong,  kissed  her  pretty 
hand  repeatedly  to  me  this  evening  whilst  her  carriage 
was  standing  near  my  quarters.  Don't  be  jealous! 
I  do  not  know  her;  she  probably  thought  I  was  one 
of  General  Worth's  staff  —  nevertheless,  she  is  a  very 
sweet  young  lady  as  I  testified  by  my  admiring  looks. 

May  29.  General  Twiggs  with  his  division  arrived 
today  and  I  received  several  letters.  .  .  . 

Monday,  May  ji.  We  hear  from  Mexico  this  eve 
ning  that  Santa  Anna  has  resigned  all  his  offices  and 
wishes  to  leave  the  country,  in  consequence  of  the 
strength  of  the  peace  party.  He  says,  we  are  told,  in 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  175 

his  proclamation  that  personally  and  politically  he  is 
in  the  way  of  peace  and  therefore  retires.  He  is  a 
scamp  and  everything  he  does  causes  distrust,  — 
but  should  the  above  prove  true,  I  shall  draw  the  very 
best  auguries  from  it.  If  Herrera  is  President,  or  if 
Gomez  Farrias  and  Rejou  are  in  power,  peace,  sweet 
peace  must  follow. 

June  i.  I  have  a  touch  of  rheumatism  today  in  my 
foot;  it  is  swollen  some  and  very  painful.  It  looks 
amazingly  like  gout,  and  I  am  so  weak  as  to  feel 
ashamed  of  it  so  have  concealed  it  from  all.  I  dined 
today  with  Uncle  Edmund  and  in  the  afternoon  took  a 
long  walk  about  the  city  examining  the  many  curious 
things  in  the  shops,  of  which  none  are,  perhaps, 
more  strange  to  our  eyes  than  the  equipments  for 
horses.  Grotesque  spurs,  bridles,  harnesses,  etc.,  rich 
with  silver  ornaments,  tempted  me  to  make  up  a  box 
of  curiosities  to  send  home  by  the  first  opportunity. 
There  are  many  hacks  about  the  streets  to  be  hired 
at  a  reasonable  rate.  They  are  drawn  by  mules  and 
driven  by  postillions.  The  tails  of  the  animals  are 
enclosed  in  large,  leathern  bags,  often  ornamented  and 
embossed  with  brass  or  silver  —  but  whether  they  are 
worn  to  spare  the  modesty  of  the  mules  or  the  biped 
passengers  I  have  not  yet  ascertained.  After  being 
well  fatigued  with  our  ramble  and  my  rheumatic  foot 
throbbing  like  the  toothache,  we,  in  company  with 
Colonel  Hitchcock  who  had  joined  us  in  the  streets, 


1 76  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

adjourned  to  an  ice  cream  shop  for  refreshment.  By 
the  bye,  this  is  the  first  place  in  Mexico  where  I  have 
found  the  ice  cream  good  and  well  flavored  —  one 
shilling  per  glass. 

June  2.  Have  not  left  my  quarters  today  except 
to  attend  parades.  I  have,  however,  heard  this  eve 
ning  that  an  extensive  department,  the  Tierra  Cali- 
ente,  has  pronounced  for  the  Americans  —  that  is  for 
peace.  Whether  this  be  true  or  not,  all  the  signs  show 
that  a  large  party  among  the  Mexican  people  are  in 
favor  of  a  negotiation  which  must  soon  commence 
unless  our  apparent  weakness,  we  being  but  a  forlorn 
hope  in  the  heart  of  a  great  nation,  should  induce  their 
leaders  to  suppose  they  can  crush  us.  A  crisis  is  at 
hand  and  we  shall  either  have  desperate  fighting  or 
the  yellow  gentry  must  give  up.  Trist  is  here  with 
the  three  million  —  but  I  can  only  allude  to  his  opera 
tions  and  our  military  dispositions,  as  it  is  an  even 
chance  that  this  will  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
as  did  the  first  mail  sent  from  this  place  to  Vera 
Cruz. 

June  j.  A  mail  will  leave  at  daylight  in  the  morning 
and  my  letter  must  be  in  the  bag  at  dark.  I  was  going 
to  a  regular  bullfight  this  afternoon  in  the  hope  of 
seeing  a  Mexican  matadore  killed.  Am  I  not  a  good 
fellow  to  give  up  such  a  pleasure  to  write  to  you  ? 
The  news  still  continues  to  prove  that  the  peace  party 
is  gaining  strength  throughout  the  country,  though 
before  we  get  a  peace  I  think  we  shall  have  one  great 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  177 

battle.  The  signs  are  now  that  we  shall  advance  in  a 
few  days  and  perhaps  "  revel  in  the  Halls/'  before  the 
end  of  the  month.  .  .  . 

[The  remainder  of  this  journal  was  brought  from 
Mexico  by  Lieutenant  Peck  in  February,  1848,  five 
months  after  the  death  of  the  writer  who  fell  mortally 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Rey,  September 
8,  1847.] 

PUEBLA, 

June  4,  1847. 

My  last  letter  went  under  the  charge  of  a  strong 
escort  and  I  think  will  reach  you  —  but  I  feel  little 
encouragement  to  write  now  as  it  is  very  probable  it 
will  only  be  labor  thrown  away.  .  .  . 

June  p.  I  have  been  rather  unwell  for  a  week  or 
two  and  yesterday  while  on  review  was  taken  sud 
denly  sick  and  compelled  to  leave  the  parade.  I  have 
a  regular  intermittent  fever.  Today  is  my  well  day 
and  I  am  to  take  a  large  dose  of  quinine  tonight,  which 
Dr.  Satterlee  thinks  will  cure  me.  How  my  head 
ached  all  last  night!  .  .  .  Merrill  whom  I  saw  on 
the  eighth  is  sick  —  looks  like  death  and  is  wasted  to 
a  very  skeleton  —  though  he  has  no  well  defined 
disease.  We  hear  that  reinforcements  are  expected 
and  General  Scott  says  he  will  eat  his  Fourth  of  July 
dinner  in  Mexico.  The  reports  from  the  city  are  very 
contradictory,  and  so  far  as  the  public  are  concerned 
are  not  to  be  relied  upon.  General  Scott  may  have 
reliable  information  though  I  doubt  it. 


178  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

June  ii.  Last  night  when  I  went  to  bed  I  took 
twenty  grains  of  quinine  and  went  to  sleep  hoping 
that  I  should  escape  any  more  fever,  but  long  before 
morning  I  waked  half  crazy,  my  teeth  chattering, 
with  a  most  tremendous  ague  followed  by  a  fever  and 
a  headache  that  made  all  crack  again.  .  .  .  My  fever 
has  now  subsided  and  I  feel  tolerably  well  again  though 
weak.  In  the  midst  of  my  paroxysm  our  chaplain 
called  upon  me  and  gave  me  a  lecture  from  the  text: 
"  Whom  the  Lord  loveth,  He  chasteneth."  .  .  .  You 
ask  me  in  one  of  your  letters  whether  my  statement  of 
the  number  killed  at  Vera  Cruz  or  the  newspaper 
account,  "  sixty-five,"  is  correct.  The  sixty-five  in 
cludes  all  the  wounded,  many  of  the  wounds  being 
mere  scratches.  It  is  now  said  that  twelve  were 
killed,  and  I  had  put  down  the  number  ten.  .  .  . 

June  17.  My  birthday  —  I  am  forty  years  old.  .  .  . 
An  American  can  scarcely  appreciate  the  glorious 
freedom  and  blessings  of  his  native  land  unless  he  has 
been  banished  as  I  have  for  months  where  everything 
is  stamped  by  ignorance,  vice,  and  misery.  .  .  . 

June  20.  On  General  Court  Martial  for  several 
days  past.  Feel  well,  though  still  very  weak.  We 
hear  from  all  quarters  that  the  Mexicans,  more  than 
twenty  thousand  strong,  are  prepared  to  oppose  our 
march  to  the  Capital.  We  must  have  at  least  one 
tremendous  battle.  Welcome  the  danger,  welcome 
the  toil,  welcome  the  fierce  conflict  and  the  bloody 
field,  if  it  will  but  close  the  war. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  179 

June  21.  How  sad  and  dreary  the  hours  pass! 
All  day  upon  a  tedious  court  and  nothing  to  interest 
us  after  the  adjournment.  The  thousand  lying 
rumors  which  are  constantly  circulated  with  regard  to 
the  enemy  have  ceased  to  excite  the  slightest  attention. 
.  .  .  One  thing  is  certain,  —  there  will  in  future  be 
no  more  comfort  in  army  life.  Peace  cannot  bring 
back  to  us  those  pleasant  western  stations  —  they 
are  lost  to  us  forever.  On  our  widely  extended 
southern  and  western  frontier  will  be  many  isolated 
posts  —  far,  far  from  civilization  —  there  it  is  to  be 
feared  our  days  will  be  passed  in  dreary  banishment. 

June  23.  As  yet  we  have  no  certain  news  from  the 
column  advancing  under  General  Cadwalader,  but 
the  Mexican  rumors  state  that  he  has  had  a  battle 
at  La  Hoya,  in  which  the  enemy's  loss  was  two  hun 
dred  and  eighty  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners, 
and  ours  thirty.  This  is  about  the  usual  proportion  - 
but  I  doubt  the  whole  story.  Lying  is  so  universal 
here  that  I  am  almost  afraid  I  shall  fall  into  the  habit 
myself.  The  Seventh  Infantry  moved  yesterday  into 
quarters  near  us,  so  I  shall  see  my  brother  every  day. 

June  24.  Nothing  new.  Waiting  for  reenforce- 
ments.  It  is  rumored  that  some  secret  negotiations 
are  quietly  going  on.  Nous  verrons.  We  hear  that 
General  Pillow  is  at  Vera  Cruz  —  but  have  not  learned 


i8o  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  number  of  his  troops.  The  report  that  agents  are 
here  negotiating  with  Mr.  Trist  has  gained  general 
credence.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  but  do  not  expect  a 
favorable  result.  The  Mexican  Congress  is  soon  to 
meet  and  all  depends  upon  the  spirit  which  animates 
its  members. 

June  29.  Yesterday  after  coming  from  parade  in 
the  morning  had  a  return  of  the  ague  and  fever  and 
passed  a  wretched  day.  My  fever  subsided  towards 
evening,  but  by  eleven  o'clock  I  had  another  chill  and 
passed  a  horrible  night.  The  fever  did  not  leave  me 
until  this  morning.  Two  paroxysms  of  ague  and  fever 
in  eighteen  hours  is  rather  tough.  There  has  been 
much  sickness  in  the  army  here,  thirteen  hundred 
having  been  on  the  report  at  one  time. 

July  6.  .  .  .  Since  my  last  writing  the  prospect  of 
peace  has  much  increased,  the  tone  of  the  Mexican 
papers  has  altered  in  the  last  week  —  they  have  evi 
dently  endeavored  to  produce  an  impression  on  the 
public  mind  that  peace  is  necessary,  and  as  they  are 
entirely  controlled  by  those  in  authority  it  is  evident 
that  Santa  Anna  is  trying  to  bring  about  a  termination 
of  the  war.  It  matters  not  whether  in  this  course  of 
conduct  he  is  swayed  by  the  hope  of  getting  hold  of 
the  "  three  million,"  or  whether  the  fear  of  another 
defeat  and  the  consequent  loss  of  the  Capital  of  the 
Aztecs  weighs  with  him,  certain  it  is  that  General 
Scott  and  Mr.  Trist  have  received  communications 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  181 

on  this  subject  from  the  Mexican  authorities,  either 
through  a  secret  agent  sent  to  the  city  or  through 
Mr.  Bankhead  the  English  resident  minister  —  per 
haps  by  both  channels.  Moreover  we  know  that 
three  commissioners  have  been  nominated  to  meet 
those  who  have  authority  to  act  for  our  government. 
Nothing,  however,  can  be  done  but  by  the  authority 
of  the  Supreme  Congress  which  commences  its  ses 
sions  day  after  tomorrow.  If  the  peace  party  headed 
by  the  great  One-legged  can  influence  this  turbulent 
popular  assembly  we  may  hope  for  favorable  results. 
I  am  by  no  means  sanguine  in  my  hopes  of  a  peace  or 
even  an  armistice  without  much  more  bloodshed,  and 
an  entire  change  of  policy  in  the  conduct  of  the  war. 
After  every  victory  we  are  down  upon  our  knees  suing 
for  peace,  and  as  yet,  although  we  have  defeated  their 
armies,  the  Mexican  people  have  not  felt  the  horrors 
of  war,  —  but  on  the  contrary  have  actually  profited 
by  it.  Nothing  but  vague  rumors  are  heard  from  the 
column  advancing  under  General  Pillow. 

July  7.  General  Scott  says  that  the  chances  for 
peace  are  three  to  one  and  many  sanguine  spirits  here 
are  rejoicing  in  the  prospect.  The  advance  of  Pillow's 
column  arrived  this  evening  bringing  the  long,  anx 
iously  expected  mail,  which  contained  yours  of  the 
eleventh  and  twenty-fourth  of  May.  .  .  .  We  in  the 
Fifth  are  all  much  shocked  by  the  death  of  Captain 
Whipple  who  breathed  his  last  in  the  Castle  of  Perote. 


1 82  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

He  was  deservedly  the  most  popular  officer  in  the 
regiment,  and  will  be  remembered  by  his  companions 
with  affectionate  regret.  .  .  .  Colonel  Mclntosh  ar 
rived  with  the  command  yesterday;  I  was  glad  to  see 
him.  He  appears  in  fine  health.  .  .  .  Our  informa 
tion,  though  not  of  recent  date,  gives  much  cause  to 
fear  for  the  officers  of  our  regiment  in  Detroit.  Steven 
son,  who  will  be  promoted  by  Whipple's  death,  it  is 
said,  is  in  wretched  health,  and  cannot  long  survive. 
Norvell  is  considered  in  a  hopeless  state,  and  poor, 
nervous,  irritable  Whitall  has  entirely  lost  the  use  of 
one  of  his  arms  and  is  so  miserable  that  he  cannot 
leave  the  house.  I  sent  you  a  letter  by  an  express 
Mexican  who  was  hired  at  a  high  price  to  carry  it  to 
Vera  Cruz.  I  paid  two  dollars  for  my  share,  but  am 
doubtful  whether  it  ever  reaches  you  —  such  uncer 
tain  chances  are  all  we  can  have  for  the  future.  It  is 
now  the  twenty-fourth  of  July,  so  now  you  see  from 
mere  hopelessness  I  have  discontinued  my  journal. 
During  some  days  we  have  all  thought  that  a  peace 
was  about  to  be  made  —  the  news  from  Mexico  and 
every  deduction  from  common  sense  warranted  the 
conclusion.  It  seems  evident  that  if  under  existing 
circumstances,  with  their  armies  defeated,  a  great 
portion  of  their  country  in  our  possession  and  ten 
thousand  of  our  troops  within  six  days'  march  of  their 
Capital,  they  refuse  to  negotiate,  they  will  continue 
to  do  so  until  their  entire  country  has  been  conquered, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  183 

which  will  take  years,  blood  and  treasure.  Today  all 
our  fond  anticipations  are  destroyed.  Their  Congress 
has  dissolved  without  any  definite  action  on  the  sub 
ject,  and  Santa  Anna's  proclamation  for  the  defence 
of  the  city  has  reached  us.  Does  the  fool  think  he 
can  keep  ten  thousand  Yankees  from  entering  it? 
True,  many  will  be  killed  in  the  battle  under  the  walls 
or  in  the  streets,  but  Victory  will  never  desert  our 
ranks  to  consort  with  these  filthy  Mexicans,  unless 
her  taste  is  much  depraved.  I  now  despair  of  leaving 
this  country  for  years.  Bitter,  most  bitter  is  the  con 
viction  that  such  is  to  be  my  fate,  and  I  can  but  wish 
that  none  were  united  to  me  and  compelled  to  be 
miserable  on  my  account.  .  .  .  Alas,  the  chance  is 
I  shall  never  see  you  again ! 

We  are  not  to  leave  Puebla  until  after  General 
Pierce  arrives  and  where  our  course  will  be  directed 
after  the  fall  of  the  Capital,  no  one  can  tell.  There 
is  still  much  sickness  in  the  army  —  my  health  is, 
however,  perfectly  reestablished,  though  I  am  like 
most  others  here,  extremely  thin.  Ruggles  is  quite 
sick.  Have  I  ever  mentioned  that  he  is  writing  a 
history  of  the  war  ?  Won't  it  be  a  literary  curiosity  ? 
Colonel  Mclntosh  is  before  a  Court  of  Inquiry  on  his 
conduct  while  commanding  the  escort  and  train  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  the  National  Bridge.  The  General  has 
refused  to  give  him  the  command  of  a  brigade  and 
as  he  has  not  assumed  that  of  his  regiment,  he  is  just 


1 84  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

at  present  nobody.  Poor  old  man!  he  should  never 
have  been  permitted  to  come  here.  .  .  . 

July  29.  We  are  in  Puebla  still  and  no  day  fixed 
for  advance,  though  General  Scott  says  he  will  show 
us  the  Capital  by  the  eleventh  of  August.  Day  before 
yesterday  a  brigade  under  General  P.  Smith  was  or 
dered  to  the  rear  on  the  Orizaba  road  to  meet  and 
support  General  Pierce  whom  it  is  reported  is  threat 
ened  by  four  thousand  of  the  enemy,  and  yesterday 
we  learned  that  General  Pierce  is  not  on  the  Orizaba 
road,  but  has  probably  by  this  time  reached  Perote. 
Today  we  hear  that  General  Smith  has  changed  his 
direction  to  La  Hoya  at  which  strong  defile  they  may 
possibly  have  a  fight  with  the  Mexicans.  We  cannot 
march  until  they  arrive,  and  we  are  all  anxious  to  see 
them  and  the  mail  they  will  bring.  When  on  duty 
as  field  officer  of  the  day,  I  have  a  wide  circuit  of 
guards  and  quarters  to  visit,  located  in  every  part  of 
the  city. 

Several  of  the  regiments  are  quartered  in  monas 
teries,  of  which  there  are  at  least  a  dozen  in  the  city. 
They  are  much  alike  in  appearance;  very  large  stone 
buildings  constructed  in  the  most  massive  manner 
and  entirely  unlike  anything  in  our  country.  I  be 
lieve  I  am  getting  into  a  scrape  by  attempting  a 
description  of  these  strange,  indescribable  houses.  To 
each  one  is  attached  a  large  church  rich  with  statuary, 
paintings,  gilding,  and  numerous  votive  offerings. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  185 

These  churches  all  have  domes  and  tall  spires  which 
contain  from  eight  to  thirty-two  large  bells.  Imagine 
what  a  clatter  there  is  when  they  are  all  ringing 
together,  which  is  not  unusual,  particularly  on  any 
favorite  Saint's  day.  The  main  building  of  the 
Monastery  of  San  Francisco  —  they  are  all  named 
after  saints  —  is  a  succession  of  rectangles,  two  or 
three  stories  high,  surrounding  areas  or  paved  courts 
in  the  centre  of  which  plays  a  never-ceasing  fountain 
and  in  which  are  planted  fruit  and  flowering  trees  and 
shrubs.  Around  each  area  are  broad  balconies  sup 
ported  on  heavy,  stone  arches,  into  which  open  the 
dormitories  and  other  apartments.  These  dormi 
tories  or  cells  are  usually  about  fifteen  feet  square, 
having  but  one  window.  Between  these  rooms  in  the 
interior  of  the  building  are  long,  narrow  halls,  badly 
lighted  and  ventilated,  branching  off  to  the  different 
suites  of  cells  in  the  various  rectangles.  On  all  these 
halls  open  rooms  as  they  do  in  one  of  our  large  hotels; 
halls  and  rooms  seem  to  be  never  ending  and  form  a 
perfect  labyrinth.  The  main  galleries  and  apartments 
contain  hundreds  of  oil  paintings.  Around  one  of  the 
areas  I  counted  forty-eight  pictures,  eight  by  twelve 
feet  in  size,  with  figures  the  size  of  life,  all  of  a  re 
ligious  character.  In  some,  gods,  angels,  men,  and 
devils  are  strangely  mingled.  Among  so  many  paint 
ings  there  must  be,  of  course,  a  number  which  are 
very  indifferent,  but  others  are  well  worthy  of  study 


1 86  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

and  will  bear  criticism.  The  kitchens,  stables,  and 
various  offices  are  arranged  in  the  basements.  To  the 
San  Franciscan  Monastery  there  is  a  large  garden 
tastefully  arranged,  with  a  stone  summer  house  in  the 
centre  surmounted  by  a  Moorish  dome.  On  the  ex 
terior  of  these  buildings  there  are  few  or  no  windows, 
the  massive  walls  and  heavy  gates  completely  cutting 
off  the  inmates  from  the  world.  It  had  a  peculiar,  old- 
world-like  appearance  to  me  when  I  first  saw  the 
monks  (the  lazy  drones),  in  their  long  robes  and  deep 
hoods,  noiselessly  creeping  through  the  dimly  lighted 
galleries.  I  was  officer  of  the  day  yesterday,  and 
while  on  my  rounds  last  night,  a  little  after  twelve,  in 
passing  through  one  of  the  back  streets  I  was  attracted 
by  the  sound  of  music  accompanied  by  a  strange  kind 
of  wailing  which  issued  from  the  open  door  of  rather 
an  inferior  house.  I  rode  up  to  it  and  was  much 
struck  by  the  strange  scene.  The  room  was  in  a  blaze 
of  light  from  many  candles.  In  its  centre  was  a  bier 
on  which  was  extended  the  corpse  of  a  girl  apparently 
about  seventeen,  dressed  in  all  the  finery  the  family 
possessed,  with  flowers  in  her  bosom,  hair,  and  hands, 
and  surrounded  by  gilded  ornaments,  probably  bor 
rowed  from  the  churches.  In  one  corner  of  the  room 
was  a  group  of  old  women,  perfect  hags,  squatted 
round  a  furnace  where  a  feast  was  cooking.  They 
looked  like  so  many  witches  round  a  cauldron.  In  the 
opposite  corner  was  a  display  of  liquors  and  drinking 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  187 

cups,  which  the  appearance  of  the  inmates  proved  had 
not  been  suffered  to  stand  idle.  Immediately  round 
the  corpse  were  several  couples  dancing  a  fandango 
to  the  merry  fiddle,  while  ever  and  anon  the  witches 
round  the  cauldron,  with  their  shrill,  cracked  voices, 
howled  a  chant  in  the  Indian,  Tlasculan-language. 
The  whole  was  evidently  a  strange  commingling  of  the 
Romish  superstitions  and  the  ancient  Indian  funeral 
rites.  .  .  . 

August  6.  .  .  .  I  hardly  think  you  will  ever  see 
these  pages,  —  or  the  hand  which  guides  the  pen  may 
be  cold  in  death  before  they  reach  you.  .  .  .  One  of 
the  most  brilliant  affairs  of  the  war  occurred  at  the 
village  of  San  Juan,  which  is  about  five  miles  from 
the  National  road  to  the  north  of  Ojo  de  Agua.  Gen 
eral  C.  F.  Smith  sent  Captain  Ruff  with  a  party  of 
eighty-two  mounted  rifles  on  a  scout  to  this  place. 
On  entering  the  village  he  was  fired  upon  from  the 
houses  and  a  church  where  two  hundred  Infantry  and 
one  hundred  guerillas  were  strongly  posted.  Ruff 
immediately  dismounted  his  men  and  leaving  twenty- 
four  with  the  horses  led  the  rest  to  the  attack - 
breaking  into  the  houses  sword  in  hand.  The  Mexi 
cans  were  soon  routed  and  fled  leaving  forty-three 
dead,  and  it  is  said  over  fifty  wounded.  Their  stand 
ard  was  captured  and  the  public  stores  and  arms  in 
the  place  destroyed.  Captain  Ruff  took  no  prisoners, 
and  in  this  short  but  bloody  fight  lost  but  one  man. 


1 88  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

The  order  for  the  march  to  the  Capital  is  published. 
The  First  division  under  Twiggs  leaves  on  Saturday 
the  eighth;  the  Second  under  Quitman  the  next  day; 
ours,  Worth's,  on  Monday  the  tenth,  and  the  rest  on 
Tuesday  the  eleventh.  Altogether  it  is  a  feeble  com 
mand  for  the  work  before  it.  Ten  thousand  troops  to 
conquer  a  city  containing  near  three  hundred  thou 
sand  inhabitants.  We  shall  do  it,  but  perhaps  pay 
dearly  for  it.  I  think  within  ten  days  we  shall  have 
reached  within  striking  distance,  have  made  our  dis 
positions,  and  commenced  the  attack.  .  .  . 

August  8.  I  have  been  all  day  preparing  for  the 
march  which  commences  at  daylight  tomorrow.  I 
have  been  too  busy  to  think  and  I  am  glad  it  is  so,  as 
I  almost  despair  when  I  reflect  upon  the  destitute 
situation  in  which  you  will  be  left,  with  the  three 
children  dependent  upon  you,  should  I  fall  in  the 
coming  battle.  I  shall  certainly  be  much  exposed, 
being  in  the  leading  battalion  to  Worth's  division, 
and  we  confidently  expect  to  commence  the  attack. 
I  hope,  however,  to  escape  unscathed  for  which,  more 
for  your  sake  than  my  own,  I  fervently  pray. 

General  Scott  with  Uncle  on  his  staff  went  forward 
this  morning.  The  entire  army  is  to  unite  at  some 
point  on  the  route,  when  in  all  probability  our  division 
will  lead.  I  shall  try  every  night  to  record  the  inci 
dents  of  the  march  as  they  will  interest  you  if  they 
ever  reach  you.  About  twenty-five  hundred  sick  are 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  189 

to  be  left  here.  Colonel  Childs  remains  as  command 
ing  officer  and  governor.  Dr.  Wright  has  today  been 
attached  to  our  battalion,  so  I  am  pretty  sure  if  I  am 
to  have  a  leg  cut  off  that  it  will  be  done  scientifically. 

August  Q.  At  four  this  morning  we  arose  and  im 
mediately  after  breakfast  loaded  the  wagons  and  at 
six  in  the  morning  our  battalion  leading  the  Infantry 
of  Worth's  division  marched  out  of  Puebla.  We  fol 
lowed  a  company  of  Dragoons  and  Duncan's  light 
battery.  Our  route  lay  over  the  valley  of  Puebla  to 
the  right  of  Popocatepetl,  our  course  northwest.  The 
morning  was  clear  and  cold,  as  they  always  are  in  this 
climate,  but  as  the  sun  approaches  the  zenith  it  be 
comes  hot,  though  not  oppressive  as  it  is  with  you  on 
a  sultry  summer  day.  We  have  marched  all  day  be 
tween  cultivated  fields  principally  covered  with  corn 
which  is  standing  in  every  stage  of  growth,  from  the 
young  shoots  a  few  inches  high  to  fields  of  waving 
green  with  the  ear  nearly  fit  for  harvest.  The  scenery 
on  every  side  was  beautiful  in  full  view  of  the  sublime 
mountains,  their  white,  shining  summits  buried  for 
thousands  of  feet  in  eternal  snow  and  ice.  On  the  left 
of  the  extensive  plain  dotted  with  white  haciendas, 
each  with  its  dome  and  tall  spire,  is  the  pyramid  of 
Cholula  and  the  extensive  ruins  of  that  large  city.  At 
half -past  twelve  we  encamped  at  Aqua  Freato.  The 
camp  is  full  of  rumors  in  which,  however,  I  place  no 


i  go  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

faith.  In  the  first  place  it  is  reported  that  Santa  Anna 
has  been  killed  in  consequence  of  his  correspondence 
with  General  Scott;  in  the  second  place,  that  the 
Mexican  trobps  are  fighting  among  themselves  in  the 
city  under  various  opposing  generals,  and  that  we 
shall  enter  the  Capital  without  a  battle.  The  opinions 
on  the  subject  are  various,  but  my  voice  is  still  for 
war.  I  believe  we  shall  have  a  severe,  a  desperate 
fight.  Towards  night  we  could  see  the  smoke  of 
General  Quitman's  camp  far  in  our  advance. 

August  10.  Marched  at  seven,  the  country  becom 
ing  richer  and  more  thickly  inhabited  as  we  approached 
the  mountains.  All  along  the  road,  particularly  at 
the  watering  places,  the  Mexican  men  and  women 
were  ready  to  receive  us  with  various  articles  of  mar 
keting,  such  as  fruits,  vegetables,  meats,  etc.  About 
twelve  we  arrived  at  the  town  of  San  Martin  where 
we  are  quartered  for  the  night.  There  are  several 
churches,  plazas,  and  fountains,  and  I  should  think 
from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  inhabitants. 
We  had  a  strange  and  ridiculous  scene  this  after 
noon. 

The  main  plaza  was  crowded  with  Mexican  market 
people,  our  soldiers  mingled  among  them,  when  some 
unaccountable  fear  produced  an  alarm,  and  they  all  ran 
in  the  most  admirable  confusion.  The  women  with 
their  hampers  of  truck  and  jars  of  milk  and  pulque 
tumbling  over  each  other,  scattering  everything  as 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  191 

they  scattered  themselves  in  all  directions.  The 
drums  beat  and  all  got  under  arms.  Everything  is 
quiet  now  and  no  one  knows  what  caused  the  stam 
pede.  Adios. 

August  ii.  Marched  from  San  Martin  at  half-past 
five.  The  morning  was  fine  but  it  had  rained  during 
the  night  and  the  road  was  quite  muddy.  General 
Worth  was  informed  that  General  Alvarez  was  a  short 
distance  on  our  left  with  fifteen  thousand  men,  and 
some  changes  were  consequently  made  in  our  order  of 
march.  A  section  of  artillery  was  sent  to  the  rear, 
the  train  closed  up  on  the  First  Brigade,  and  the 
Second  under  Clarke  immediately  followed.  Our  road 
which  was  excellent  passed  through  a  rich  and  pictur 
esque  country  rising  rapidly  towards  the  summit 
level  between  Vera  Cruz  and  Mexico,  occasionally 
pitching  suddenly  into  a  deep  ravine  or  verdant  valley. 
After  marching  ten  miles  we  descended  a  steep  hill  to 
the  bridge  of  Temelucan,  a  fine  stone  work  over  a 
rapid  mountain  stream.  Here  commenced  the  Pass  of 
Rio  Frio,  an  extremely  strong  defile  which  the  Mexi 
cans  would  have  defended,  if  they  were  a  brave  people. 
At  this  place  Quitman  was  fired  upon  yesterday  and 
had  one  man  killed.  Just  as  the  rain  began  at  three 
o'clock,  we  reached  the  hacienda  and  tavern  of  Rio 
Frio,  kept  by  a  German  and  situated  at  the  crossing 
of  a  mountain  stream.  We  had  marched  nineteen 
miles  and  are  now  half  way  from  Puebla  to  Mexico. 


1 92  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

The  rear  guard  did  not  come  up  until  dark.    No  news 
from  the  advance.  .  .  . 

August  12.  We  marched  from  Rio  Frio  at  six.  The 
weather  was  very  cold  as  it  is  always  in  this  elevated 
region,  though  under  a  tropical  sun.  The  broad,  ex 
cellent  road  ran  through  a  dense  pine  and  cedar  forest. 
In  two  hours  we  reached  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
ten  thousand  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  On 
our  right  and  left  were  still  loftier  mountains  towering 
high  above  us  in  the  clouds.  The  change  of  vegetation 
from  the  tropical  plants  to  those  of  the  Arctic  regions 
was  distinctly  perceptible  as  we  advanced.  The  road 
plunged  rapidly  toward  the  plain  and  after  descending 
a  few  miles  the  great  valley  of  Mexico  broke  upon  our 
view,  a  most  glorious  spectacle,  which  we  beheld  from 
the  same  point  where  Cortes  first  gazed  upon  it.  Far 
to  the  right  scarcely  perceptible  was  the  great  city, 
and  all  over  the  vast  plain  spread  out  before  us  like  a 
map  were  lakes,  towns,  haciendas,  and  large  culti 
vated  fields.  We  dipped  into  the  valley  by  a  winding 
road  so  steep  as  to  be  barely  practicable  for  our 
wagons.  At  Cordova,  just  before  we  reached  the  plain, 
we  found  General  Quitman  and 'Shields  with  Tom 
Williams,  General  Scott's  aid.  From  them  we  heard 
that  General  Scott  was  at  Agotla  six  miles  from  El 
Pen  on,  a  hill  strongly  fortified  eight  miles  from  the 
city,  and  that  the  engineers  with  a  part  of  Twigg's 
division  were  reconnoitring  that  approach  to  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  193 

city.  Quitman's  division  were  encamped  at  Buena 
Vista  [see  map],  a  hacienda  where  the  road  forks,  the 
right  branch  going  direct  to  the  city  by  the  right  of 
Lake  Chalco,  and  the  left  by  a  longer  route  round  the 
lake.  We  were  ordered  to  the  left  and  before  night 
reached  the  town  of  Chalco,  a  dirty  place  nearly  sur 
rounded  by  marsh  and  mud. 

August  13,  Chalco.  We  have  not  moved  today.  A 
reconnoissance  has  been  going  on  around  El  Penon 
which  is  found  to  be  an  exceedingly  strong  work,  so 
that  if  any  other  approach  to  the  city  can  be  found, 
no  assault  will  be  made  upon  it.  It  is  reported  that 
the  Mexicans  have  between  thirty  and  forty  thousand 
troops  to  oppose  our  weak  ten  thousand.  Our  task  is 
truly  desperate,  and  many  of  us  will,  of  course,  be 
sacrificed  before  we  take  the  city.  Pillow's  division 
arrived  this  afternoon.  Boats  have  been  collected 
today  to  enable  us  to  cross  Lake  Chalco,  and  thus 
avoid  the  strong  positions  of  El  Penon  and  Guada- 
lupe.  About  fifty  scows  have  been  found  here  which 
will  carry  forty  men  each  and  it  is  thought  as  many 
more  are  at  Agotla. 

August  14.  Means  have  been  discovered  to  turn 
El  Penon  by  land.  A  simultaneous  attack  is  to  be 
made  by  Worth's  and  Twigg's  divisions  on  a  place 
called  Mexicalingo  where  it  is  supposed  there  are 
seventeen  guns.  In  a  reconnoissance  yesterday,  Lieu 
tenant  Schuyler  Hamilton,  Aid  to  General  Scott,  and 


194  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

grandson  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  was  desperately 
wounded  by  a  lance.  He  was  brought  in  this  evening 
and  it  is  thought  he  may  recover. 

August  15.  It  has  been  decided  to  abandon  entirely 
the  route  by  El  Penon  and  advance  by  the  road  to  the 
left  of  Lakes  Chalco  and  Xochimilco.  We  go  to  victory 
or  death,  —  we  can  only  be  defeated  by  annihilation. 
Our  spirits  and  courage  are  good,  we  have  confidence 
in  ourselves,  and  confidence  in  our  generals.  We  left 
Chalco  at  two  o'clock  and  proceeded  round  the  head 
of  the  lake  through  vast  corn  fields.  After  marching 
five  miles  we  struck  the  base  of  the  mountain  on  the 
south  of  the  valley,  and  after  winding  along  its  rugged 
side  over  a  narrow,  rough  road  for  three  miles,  we 
bivouacked  at  a  little  village  called  Totalco.  This 
morning  we  marched  at  seven  continuing  along  the 
base  of  the  mountain  over  the  broken  road  with  the 
valley  and  lakes  on  our  right.  We  passed  through 
several  small  villages  on  the  marshy  bank  of  Lake 
Xochamilco,  which  were  completely  embowered  in 
olive  orchards,  the  humble  cottages  built  under  the 
spreading  branches.  Far  in  our  advance  we  could 
see  San  Augustine,  Palapa,  and  other  towns  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  city,  and  at  one  point  a  solitary 
spire  of  Mexico  was  visible.  At  eleven  we  were  halted 
by  an  order  brought  from  the  rear  by  General  Scott's 
Aide-de-Camp,  who  stated  that  a  force  of  some  five 
thousand  of  the  enemy  had  shown  themselves  to  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  195 

left  of  Chalco.  I  do  not  like  to  criticize  the  acts  of 
the  general,  but  think  this  a  bad  move.  Having  de 
cided  upon  one  point  of  attack,  it  seems  to  me  we 
should  have  pushed  on  without  delay,  giving  Santa 
Anna  no  time  to  strengthen  his  defences  at  a  place 
where  he  evidently  has  not  expected  us.  We  are  now 
bivouacked  at  San  Gregario  in  an  olive  grove.  This 
afternoon  some  few  of  the  enemy  have  been  seen  by 
our  pickets  and  tomorrow  I  think,  if  we  advance,  they 
must  meet  us.  We  are  about  fifteen  miles  from  the 
city  and  must  come  upon  some  of  their  advanced 
batteries  in  the  next  ten  or  twelve  miles.  One  should 
put  his  house  in  order  with  the  prospect  of  death 
before  him.  .  .  . 

August  17.  I  am  tired  almost  to  death,  but  must 
say  one  word  before  I  lie  down.  We  marched  this 
morning  and  immediately  saw  the  enemy  in  our  ad 
vance  on  the  hills.  Our  battalion  was  sent  forward 
to  disperse  them,  and  soon  received  their  fire,  —  we, 
however,  rushed  upon  them  and  they  fled.  Our  labor 
has  been  immense,  climbing  over  precipices,  through 
broken,  craggy  ground  all  day.  We  lost  one  poor  fellow 
which  was  all  the  injury  we  received.  After  passing 
Xochimilco  (pronounced  Hokamilco)  which  we  left  on 
our  right  we  saw  a  heavy  force  of  infantry  and  cavalry 
on  a  point  near  the  termination  of  the  causeway  which 
leads  from  that  town  to  San  Augustine.  We,  how 
ever,  disappointed  them  by  taking  a  crossroad  when 


i g6  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

they  had  made  every  preparation  for  receiving  us  the 
other  way.  We  slowly  approached  San  Augustine 
which  the  enemy  abandoned.  In  our  skirmishes  a 
few  Mexicans  were  shot  and  the  Governor  of  Mexico, 
who  was  heading  some  troops  it  is  said,  was  mortally 
wounded.  We  entered  the  beautiful  town  of  San 
Augustine  about  four  in  the  afternoon.  Santa  Anna 
had  left  it  a  few  hours  before  telling  the  inhabitants 
he  could  do  nothing  for  them  now  but  should  if  we 
had  given  him  twenty-four  hours  more.  To  prove 
his  kind  feelings  towards  them  he  took  every  ounce 
of  bread  in  the  town  to  feed  his  troops.  We  advance 
again  tomorrow  and  shall  meet  more  serious  opposi 
tion  which  must  increase  every  step  to  the  city.  "  One 
leg  "  vows  to  defend  the  Capital  to  the  last  extremity. 
I  picked  up  a  curious  proclamation  signed  by  him, 
written  yesterday,  to  induce  our  men  to  desert.  I 
shall  enclose  it  in  this.  I  saw  Uncle  Edmund  today  - 
he  must  needs  come  to  the  advance  to  try  to  get  shot  ! 

August  18.  About  nine  we  advanced  from  San 
Augustine  on  the  direct  road  to  Mexico  via  San  An 
tonio.  A  squadron  of  Dragoons,  supported  by  our 
battalion,  moved  forward  with  the  engineers,  Major 
Larkin  Smith  and  Captain  James  L.  Mason,  to  recon 
noitre.  The  Dragoons  in  our  front  pushed  forward 
rapidly  and  were  a  few  hundred  yards  in  advance  of 
us  when  a  heavy  piece  of  artillery  was  discharged  at 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  197 

them.  Captain  Thornton  was  instantly  killed  and 
the  guide  wounded.  This  occurred  at  ten  in  the  morn 
ing  not  more  than  three  hundred  yards  from  where  I 
am  now.  All  day  an  extensive  reconnoissance  has  been 
going  on.  I  only  came  in  at  sunset.  The  result  of  our 
observations  shows  that  the  enemy  are  strongly 
posted,  that  the  ground  to  the  right  and  left  is  im 
practicable  to  artillery  or  Dragoons.  It  is  possible 
we  may  turn  their  position  by  their  right  flank,  and 
carry  their  batteries  in  reverse,  but  it  must  be  done 
by  infantry  alone  and  against  great  odds.  I  think 
we  shall  try  it  tomorrow  and  we  may  have  a  bloody 
day.  I  am  becoming  anxious  for  the  desperate  effort. 
We  are  fairly  committed  —  Mexico  must  fall  or  we 
must  all  find  a  grave  between  this  and  the  city.  .  .  . 

TACUBAYA, 

AugUSt  22,   1847. 

I  hardly  know  how  to  commence  a  description  of 
the  events  of  the  last  three  days.  My  brain  is  whirling 
from  the  long  continued  excitement  and  my  body  sore 
with  bruises  and  fatigue  —  but  I  will  try  to  get  into 
my  usual  humdrum  style  and  record  things  as  they 
happened.  On  the  nineteenth  we  still  lay  near  San 
Antonio.  In  the  morning  a  force  composed  of  Twigg's 
and  Pillow's  divisions  was  ordered  far  to  the  right  on 
the  San  Angel  road.  Quitman  held  San  Augustine 
and  we  kept  the  enemy  in  check  at  San  Antonio.  Our 


i98  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

battalion  strengthened  by  two  companies  from  the 
Sixth,  under  Captain  Hoffman,  and  two  from  the 
Eighth,  under  Brevet  Major  Montgomery,  went  far 
to  the  right  reconnoitring.  We  passed  over  the  same 
route  as  on  the  eighteenth  but  took  no  pains  to  con 
ceal  our  march  among  the  lava  crags  and  ravines  as 
before,  but  showed  ourselves  to  the  enemy  wishing 
them  to  believe  we  still  threatened  their  position  at 
San  Antonio.  About  twelve  the  enemy's  guns  at 
Contreras,  or  San  Magdalene,  opened  fire  upon  Twigg's 
and  Pillow's  advancing  column.  They  were  about 
four  miles  from  us  over  the  rugged  ground  we  occupied 
and  were  ascending  the  side  of  the  mountain.  The 
firing  soon  became  tremendous  —  every  flash  and 
every  peal  was  plainly  perceptible  to  us,  where  we  lay 
in  reach  of  the  guns  of  San  Antonio.  Soon  the  crash 
of  small  arms  mingled  with  the  incessant  roar  of  ar 
tillery,  the  firing  continuing  for  hours  without  our 
being  able  to  perceive  that  our  forces  gained  an  inch. 
About  five  we,  the  light  battalion,  retired  to  our 
position  on  the  San  Antonio  road.  As  the  night  closed 
in  dark  and  rainy  the  firing  ceased  at  Contreras  and 
we  in  the  camp  of  the  first  division  were  under  in 
tense  excitement  to  know  the  result  of  the  battle. 
Our  wagons  were  packed  and  we  all  stood  in  the  muddy 
road  without  fires  or  food,  miserably  fatigued  and 
uncomfortable,  but  intensely  anxious  to  hear  from 
the  battle.  Most  of  us  finally  settled  down  in  the 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  199 

mud  and  rain,  convinced  that  as  we  heard  nothing 
we  were  not  defeated.  I  was  too  anxious  about  my 
brother  and  companions  to  sleep.  It  was  midnight 
before  we  heard.  I  then  learned  that  the  firing  was 
mostly  from  the  enemy  —  that  our  operations  were 
entirely  for  position  —  that  two  officers,  Captain 
Hanson  of  the  Seventh  and  Lieutenant  J.  P.  Johnston, 
second  artillery,  had  been  killed  and  our  old  friend 
Callender  badly  wounded  in  both  legs,  —  he  com 
manded  a  battery  of  mountain  howitzers,  —  that  the 
ground  was  broken,  utterly  impracticable  for  cavalry 
or  field  artillery,  and  that  at  daybreak  the  enemy's 
fortifications  were  to  be  assaulted  by  our  infantry. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth,  the  attack 
was  made  and  the  works  carried  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet,  scarcely  a  gun  being  fired.  We  took  fifteen 
hundred  prisoners  and  twenty-two  pieces  of  artillery 
among  which  were  the  guns  captured  by  Santa  Anna 
at  Buena  Vista.  As  soon  as  the  result  was  known  to 
General  Worth,  the  Second  Brigade  of  his  division 
with  our  battalion  were  put  in  motion  to  endeavor 
to  turn  the  position  at  San  Antonio.  For  two  hours 
we  ran  over  the  rocks  moving  by  a  flank,  the  enemy  in 
a  heavy  column  marching  parallel  to  us  and  almost  in 
gun  shot,  until  the  head  of  the  Fifth  Infantry  pierced 
their  line  and  the  fight  began  at  a  quarter  before 
twelve.  It  will  be  entirely  impossible  for  me  to  give 
any  lucid  description  of  this  terrible  battle.  It  ex- 


200  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

tended  over  a  large  space  and  I  could  see  but  little  of 
it,  being  too  hotly  engaged  to  notice  much  beyond  the 
sphere  of  my  own  duties.  The  point  where  our  troops 
pierced  the  retreating  column  of  the  enemy  was  on 
the  road  from  San  Antonio  to  Mexico  near  a  hacienda 
where  the  left  of  their  line  of  defences  terminated. 
Our  battalion  when  the  firing  began  must  have  been 
near  a  half  mile  to  the  rear.  The  "  double  quick  " 
was  sounded  and  the  whole  advanced  at  a  run.  We 
soon  reached  the  road  and  turned  in  hot  pursuit.  This 
road  is  a  broad,  stone  causeway  with  corn  fields  and 
pastures  on  each  side  of  it,  divided  by  broad  ditches 
filled  with  water  from  three  to  six  feet  deep,  —  the 
corn  tall  and  very  thick.  It  was  soon  seen  as  we  rushed 
along  the  road  that  the  enemy  were  only  retreating 
to  a  fortified  position  which  constituted  their  second 
line  of  defences  at  Churubusco.  You  will  hear  this 
called  San  Pablo  and  by  another  name  which  I  can 
not  recall. 

Along  the  road  to  this  point  I  had  seen  no  wounded 
or  dead  American,  though  on  either  hand  and  in  the 
road  were  many  dead  Mexicans.  I  saw  one  colonel 
lying  in  the  ditch  shot  through  the  heart.  We  had 
advanced  on  the  road  less  than  a  mile  when  we  were 
ordered  into  the  fields  to  assault  the  right  of  the 
enemy's  position,  —  I  am  speaking  of  our  battalion. 
We  soon  formed  line  in  an  open  field  behind  the 
thick  corn  in  our  advance.  The  escopet  balls  were 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  201 

whistling  over  our  heads,  though  at  long  range,  and 
occasionally  a  cannon  ball  sang  through  the  corn  as  it 
tore  its  path  along  in  our  front. 

At  this  time  the  battle  was  fiercely  contested  on 
our  left  and  front,  but  I  did  not,  and  do  not  now  know 
what  regiments  were  engaged.  It  must  have  been 
about  half-past  twelve.  Immediately  in  front  of  us, 
at  perhaps  five  hundred  yards,  the  roll  of  the  Mexican 
fire  exceeded  anything  I  have  ever  heard.  The  din 
was  most  horrible,  the  roar  of  cannon  and  musketry, 
the  screams  of  the  wounded,  the  awful  cry  of  terrified 
horses  and  mules,  and  the  yells  of  the  fierce  combatants 
all  combined  in  a  sound  as  hellish  as  can  be  conceived. 
We  had  not  from  our  battalion  as  yet  fired  a  gun, 
but  now  rapidly  advanced,  all  apparently  eager  to 
bring  the  contest  to  a  hand  to  hand  combat  in  which 
we  knew  our  superiority. 

We  could  not  tell  what  was  before  us  —  whether 
the  enemy  were  in  regular  forts,  behind  breast 
works,  or  delivering  their  fire  from  the  cover  af 
forded  by  the  hedges  and  ditches  which  bordered  the 
road  and  fields,  —  all  was  hidden  by  the  tall  corn. 

We  soon  came  out  of  it  into  a  crossroad  near  some 
small  houses,  where  we  were  exposed  to  a  dreadful 
cross  fire,  which  could  scarcely  be  resisted.  Many 
had  fallen  and  the  battalion  was  much  scattered  and 
broken.  The  grape  round  shot  and  musketry  were 
sweeping  over  the  ground  in  a  storm  which  strewed 


202  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

it  with  the  dead  and  dying.  I  found  it  extremely  diffi 
cult  to  make  the  men  stand  or  form,  but  finally  suc 
ceeded  with  my  own  company  which  was  at  once 
ordered  to  charge  under  my  brave  Lieutenant  Farrelly. 
I  was  occupied  reorganizing  the  three  other  companies, 
the  colonel  and  many  of  the  officers  and  men  not 
appearing  when  arose  the  most  fearful  time  of  the 
battle.  My  men  were  just  formed  and  I  had  ordered 
the  charge  which  I  was  about  to  lead,  when  the  dread 
ful  cry  came  from  the  left  and  rear  that  we  were  re 
pulsed.  A  rush  of  men  and  officers  in  a  panic  followed, 
running  over  and  again  breaking  my  little  command. 
I,  however,  succeeded  in  disentangling  them  from  the 
mass,  composed  of  a  great  portion  of  the  Eighth, 
Sixth,  and  Fifth  Infantry,  with  some  artillery.  I 
shouted  that  we  were  not  repulsed  —  to  charge  - 
and  the  day  would  be  ours.  Our  colonel,  C.  F.  Smith, 
now  joined  us,  and  the  cry  throughout  was:  "  For 
ward!" 

Up  to  this  time  we  were  not  aware  that  the  other 
divisions  of  the  army  were  engaged,  but  we  now 
learned  that  Twiggs  and  others  were  pressing  them 
on  the  left  and  had  been  fighting  them  an  hour  or 
more.  Before  this  we  had  discovered  we  were  under 
the  fire  of  two  forts,  one  a  bastion  front  tete  du  pont 
flanking,  and  being  flanked  by  a  larger  work,  built 
round  an  extensive  convent.  Now  as  the  whole  army 
shouted  and  rushed  to  the  assault,  the  enemy  gave 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  203 

way,  retreating  as  best  they  could  to  Mexico.  They 
were  pursued  by  all,  hundreds  being  shot  down  in  the 
retreat,  our  Dragoons  charging  after  them  to  the  guns 
at  the  gate  of  the  city,  where  they  were  stayed  by  a 
tremendous  discharge  from  the  battery  covering  the 
entrance.  Three  officers,  Captains  Kearney  and 
McReynolds  and  Lieutenant  Graham,  were  here 
wounded,  and  Major  Mills  of  the  Fifteenth  Infantry 
killed. 

As  soon  as  the  battle  terminated  and  the  pursuit 
ceased,  I  went  back,  tired  and  sore  as  I  was,  to  collect 
the  dead  and  dying  of  our  battalion  and  did  not  re 
turn  until  night.  The  field  presented  an  awful  spec 
tacle —  the  dead  and  the  wounded  were  thickly 
sprinkled  over  the  ground  —  the  mangled  bodies 
of  the  artillery  horses  and  mules  actually  blocking  up 
the  road  and  filling  the  ditches.  How  sickening  was 
the  sight  after  all  the  excitement  of  the  contest  was 
past!  In  my  own  company  I  found  two  dead  and 
fifteen  wounded.  Lieutenant  Farrelly  received  two 
shots,  one  in  the  breast  and  one  in  the  arm.  In  the 
battalion  there  was  in  the  aggregate  fifty  killed  and 
wounded  out  of  about  two  hundred  and  twenty  en 
gaged;  in  our  entire  division,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-six;  in  the  whole  army,  one  thousand  fifty-two. 
Seventy-four  officers  were  killed  and  wounded,  thirteen 
killed  on  the  field.  Our  own  particular  friends  are  un 
hurt.  I  thank  God  for  my  escape  which  I  now  think 


204  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

wonderful.  I  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  for  more 
than  an  hour,  and  my  feet  by  grape  and  cannon  were 
twice  knocked  from  under  me. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  must  be  immense.  We  have 
taken  between  two  and  three  thousand  prisoners, 
seven  generals,  and  thirty-seven  large  guns.  Their 
officers  say,  in  killed,  missing,  and  captured,  they 
have  lost  over  five  thousand.  They  acknowledge 
that  they  had  twenty,  some  say  thirty  thousand,  in 
the  fight.  It  was  a  wonderful  victory  and  undoubtedly 
the  greatest  battle  our  country  has  ever  fought,  and  I 
hope  will  bring  peace.  At  all  events,  the  great  city 
is  at  our  mercy,  and  we  could  enter  it  at  any  hour. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-first  I  was  ordered 
to  take  charge  of  some  funeral  parties  collecting  and 
burying  the  dead.  This  was  a  sad,  a  solemn  service  - 
though  in  our  haste  we  performed  no  burial  rites  — 
paid  no  honors  —  but  laid  our  dead  in  the  earth  in 
the  bloody  garments  in  which  they  died,  most  of  them 
on  the  spot  where  they  fell.  Indeed  many  were  so 
torn  and  mangled  by  the  shot  it  was  entirely  impossi 
ble  to  move  them.  In  searching  the  ground  for  bodies 
I  gained  a  very  accurate  knowledge  of  the  field  or  I 
could  not  have  made  the  rude  sketch  above.  [He  refers 
to  a  little  map  of  the  field  which  he  had  drawn.]  In 
it  I  pretend  to  no  accuracy  except  so  far  as  the  various 
points  lie  with  regard  to  each  other.  At  the  convent, 
around  which  one  fortification  is  constructed,  I  saw 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  205 

the  Mexican  prisoners  and  some  fifty  of  our  deserters 
who  were  taken  in  arms  against  us.  The  Mexican 
position  was  exceedingly  strong  and  I  can  hardly 
understand  how  we  carried  it  when  I  reflect  that  we 
had  only  between  six  and  seven  thousand  engaged 
and  they,  at  the  least,  estimate  twenty  thousand. 

I  returned  to  camp  about  twelve  and  found  every 
thing  in  preparation  for  a  march  as  we  all  supposed 
to  attack  the  city  —  but  we  moved  off  to  the  left  to 
Tacubaya,  where  we  found  General  Scott's  head 
quarters,  and  learned  that  a  flag  of  truce  had  been 
received  from  Santa  Anna  preparatory  to  negotiations 
for  peace,  and  that  we  were  not  to  enter  the  city. 
There  was  much  muttering  and  grumbling  throughout 
the  army  when  it  was  known  that  these  were  to  be 
the  fruits  of  all  our  fatigue  and  fighting.  I  supped 
with  Uncle  Edmund  and  slept  in  a  monk's  cell  in  an 
old  convent. 

On  the  twenty-third  and  twenty-fourth  of  August 
negotiations  were  going  on,  and  finally  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  an  armistice  was  concluded  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  peace.  By  the  armistice  we  are  excluded 
from  the  city  and  either  general  can  terminate  it  by 
giving  forty-eight  hours'  notice.  This  I  fear  may  be 
the  result,  though  perhaps  Santa  Anna  may  be  com 
pelled  to  make  a  peace  to  save  himself  from  his  own 
countrymen  who  will  certainly  kill  him  if  deserted  by 
his  troops,  as  he  surely  will  be  if  we  fight  again.  The 


206  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

money  which  he  will  receive  from  us  may  enable  him 
to  declare  himself  dictator  and  maintain  a  force  with 
which  he  can  defy  all  the  Pronunciamentos  in  Mexico. 

My  notes  have  been  written  in  detached  portions, 
having  been  constantly  interrupted  by  duty  and  a 
thousand  annoyances,  and  I  am  fully  aware  that  the 
preceding  pages,  although  they  may  interest  you,  are 
an  exceedingly  lame  and  imperfect  account  of  our 
operations.  It  is  now  the  twenty-eighth  of  August 
and  I  have  as  yet  seen  none  of  the  official  reports; 
however,  for  your  gratification  I  can  tell  you  that  I 
am  favorably  mentioned  in  the  report,  as  Uncle  Ed 
mund  tells  me,  and  that  I  have  been  spoken  of  in 
high  terms  at  headquarters.  He  says  I  will  now  get 
the  brevet  which  I  earned  long  ago.  This,  of  course, 
is  for  you  alone.  I  have  not  much  hope  of  so  desirable 
a  result  as  I  have  no  political  influence  to  aid  me  and 
would  not  resort  to  it  if  I  had.  My  glorious  brother, 
I  learn,  has  a  paragraph  especially  dedicated  to  his 
praise  in  Plymp ton's  report.  He  fully  deserves  any 
thing  complimentary  which  can  be  said  of  him. 

Commissioners  were  appointed  on  the  twenty-sixth 
by  Santa  Anna,  who  met  Mr.  N.  P.  Trist  on  the  eve 
ning  of  the  twenty-seventh.  Mr.  Trist  was  accom 
panied  by  Major  A.  Van  Buren  whom,  I  presume, 
acted  as  his  secretary.  I  am  afraid  Trist  "  has  more 
cloth  cut  out  than  he  can  make  up  in  his  shop,"  but 
sincerely  hope  he  may  effect  a  treaty.  At  headquarters 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  207 

the  utmost  confidence  is  felt  as  to  the  result.  They 
met  last  evening  when  the  basis  of  the  proposed  treaty 
was  submitted  by  Mr.  Trist.  They  have  met  again 
today  at  some  village  a  few  miles  from  here.  May 
God  prosper  and  speed  their  consultations ! 

On  the  twenty-sixth  our  wagons  were  sent  to  the 
city  for  supplies,  —  money,  subsistence,  etc.  —  but 
were  sent  back  from  the  gate,  though  the  armistice 
declares  there  shall  be  no  obstruction  to  our  procuring 
supplies  from  the  Capital.  General  Scott,  of  course, 
was  much  astonished  and  immediately  ordered  a 
termination  to  the  truce,  —  but  an  apology  came  from 
Santa  Anna  almost  before  the  words  had  passed  his 
lips.  Yesterday  they  went  again,  conducted  by  a 
quarter-master  in  citizen's  dress;  and  escorted  by 
Mexican  lancers,  they  reached  the  main  plaza  with 
out  any  annoyance,  —  but  in  moving  from  that  place 
to  some  point  beyond,  they  were  attacked  by  the 
mob,  stones  and  sticks  being  used.  Several  of  the 
teamsters  were  wounded  and  the  whole  train  driven 
from  the  city  in  double-quick  time.  Two  wagons  were 
lost  in  spite  of  the  Mexican  officers  and  soldiers  who, 
it  is  said,  did  all  in  their  power  to  protect  our  men  and 
wagons  —  even  it  is  said  killing  some  of  the  mob. 
Many  of  the  Mexican  women  were  engaged  in  this 
row  which  was  undoubtedly  an  attempt  at  a  revolu 
tion,  the  cry  being  heard  throughout  the  crowd: 
"  Death  to  Santa  Anna!  Death  to  the  Yankees !"  This 


208  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

ridiculous  affair  has  again  come  near  to  terminate  the 
negotiations,  but  I  am  told  it  is  now  adjusted  and 
whatever  we  require  is  to  be  sent  from  the  city  to  us. 

We  are  in  a  strange  situation  —  a  conquering  army 
on  a  hill  overlooking  an  enemy's  Capital,  which  is 
perfectly  at  our  mercy,  yet  not  permitted  to  enter  it, 
and  compelled  to  submit  to  all  manner  of  insults  from 
its  corrupt  inhabitants.  I  am  much  afraid  that  peace 
cannot  be  made,  but  this  satisfaction  remains  to  us, 
that  the  world  must  see  that,  though  always  victori 
ous,  we  have  ever  extended  the  olive  branch,  always 
ready  to  sheathe  the  sword. 

I  passed  an  exceedingly  interesting  hour  this  morn 
ing  with  Colonel  Hitchcock  in  listening  to  the  transla 
tions  of  many  letters  from  a  large  mail  coming  from 
the  Capital,  which  was  captured  on  the  twenty-second. 
They  were  from  generals,  aids,  husbands,  wives,  sweet 
hearts,  indeed,  all  classes.  Many  of  them  were  written 
in  a  most  beautiful  style,  all  in  a  tone  of  utter  heart 
broken  despondency.  Several  stated  that  the  troops 
opposed  to  us  amounted  to  thirty-two  thousand,  that 
they  were  utterly  routed  and  dispirited,  and  no  longer 
able  to  oppose  us.  Some  of  them  are  admirable  and 
accurate  descriptions  of  the  battles,  evidently  written 
by  accomplished  soldiers  who  well  understand  the 
subject.  I  recollect  an  expression  in  one  written  by 
an  officer  of  high  rank.  Speaking  of  the  assault  at 
Contreras,  he  says:  "  When  the  rain  and  darkness 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  209 

came  on  at  night  I  supposed  the  Americans  would 
retire  to  sleep,  but  they  were  too  astute  to  rest.  In 
war  the  Yankees  know  no  rest  —  no  fear."  High 
compliments  from  an  enemy.  The  letter  is  addressed 
to  a  Congressional  deputy  and  calls  upon  him  to  come 
"  to  the  funeral  obsequies  of  his  dishonored  nation." 
In  another  the  writer  says:  "  All  is  lost,  God  has  for 
saken  us,  the  sentence  of  Belshazzar  is  written  upon 
our  walls,  '  Mene,  Mene  tekel  upharsin.' '  They  will 
all  be  published  if  Colonel  Hitchcock  ever  succeeds  in 
getting  them  to  the  United  States.  .  .  . 

This  town,  Tacubaya,  is  finely  situated  on  the  side 
and  crest  of  a  rugged  hill,  exceedingly  irregular.  At 
the  highest  point  is  a  fine  palace,  now  General  Scott's 
headquarters.  The  whole  town  is  an  incongruous 
mixture  of  palaces,  luxurious  gardens,  ruins,  hovels, 
and  squalid  poverty.  The  most  exquisitely  beauti 
ful  spot  I  have  ever  visited  is  a  small  garden  of  a 
wealthy  merchant  here.  In  its  centre  is  a  fountain 
throwing  up  its  crystal  jet  high  in  the  air,  overhung 
by  a  magnificent  cedar  far  surpassing  any  tree  of  the 
kind  I  have  ever  seen,  at  least  three  feet  in  diameter 
at  the  base,  and  its  straight,  smooth  shaft  in  all  the 
symmetry  of  an  architectural  column  rising  full  forty 
feet  without  a  limb.  All  round  are  the  fruits,  flowers, 
and  vines  of  every  clime  growing  luxuriantly  in  this 
eternal  spring.  At  the  extremity  of  the  centre  walk 
is  a  huge  white  ash  full  equal  to  the  green  monarch  in 


210  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

the  middle  of  this  paradise.  Growing  side  by  side, 
their  branches  commingling,  are  apples,  pears,  quinces, 
figs,  oranges,  pomegranates,  peaches,  grapes,  and  other 
fruits,  all  growing  in  the  space  of  half  an  acre  of  ground, 
—  all  bearing  —  all  in  the  most  flourishing  health. 
Beneath,  bordering  some  of  the  winding  walks,  are 
beds  of  strawberries,  the  ripe  fruit  looking  most 
tempting. 

To  the  north,  less  than  a  mile  from  Tacubaya,  lies 
Chapultepec,  anciently  the  country  residence  of 
the  Montezumas  —  the  cannon  and  troops  on  the 
walls  plainly  visible,  while  the  palace  around  which 
the  fortifications  are  built  appears  across  the  deep 
valley  between  us,  as  if  a  leap  would  place  us  in  its 
marble  halls.  To  the  northeast,  apparently  at  but  a 
little  greater  distance,  lies  amid  its  lakes  and  marshes 
the  boasted  city  of  the  Aztecs,  its  spires  and  domes, 
its  walls  and  aqueducts,  all  plainly  visible.  Look 
round  over  the  rich,  broad  valley  of  Mexico.  What  a 
glorious  scene  lies  before  us!  I  am  now  standing  in 
the  lofty  belfry  of  this  old  Franciscan  Monastery. 
In  the  centre  of  the  valley  is  the  reedy  lake  of  Chalco, 
its  waters  shining  through  the  long  lines  of  the  arbor 
vitae,  ash,  cypress,  and  other  trees  which  border  the 
broad  causeways  that  cross  its  bosom  in  various  di 
rections,  while  around  it  and  around  us  rise  on  every 
side  the  white  haciendas  of  the  wealthy  owners  of  the 
soil,  looking  like  lordly  castles  —  and  all  appears  fair, 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  211 

rich,  happy,  and  most  beautiful.  Encircling  all  this 
rise  the  lofty  mountains,  a  frame  to  this  most  glorious 
picture,  the  shining  summit  of  old  Popocatepetl  form 
ing  the  gilded  ball  at  the  top!  How  deceitful!  "  'Tis 
distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  view."  Let  us 
descend  and  examine  more  closely.  Alas,  how  decay 
and  neglect  are  stamped  on  everything  around !  The 
fields  abandoned  and  uncultivated;  the  stone  walls 
broken  and  scattered;  the  hedges  torn,  un trimmed, 
and  in  many  places  uprooted  and  gone  for  rods;  the 
long  aqueducts  and  vast  stone  reservoirs  broken  and 
dry,  or  filled  with  green,  slimy,  aquatic  plants  and  all 
manner  of  reptiles;  while  the  white,  aristocratic- 
looking  haciendas  are  in  ruins  and  uninhabited,  the 
monuments  of  a  more  prosperous  age.  Sad  evidences 
that  with  the  monarchy  departed  the  glory,  wealth, 
and  happiness  of  this  fair  domain. 

September  i.  We  are  remaining  quietly  in  our  po 
sition  here  at  Tacubaya,  awaiting  the  result  of  the 
negotiations.  Ex-President  Herrara  is  the  chief  of  the 
Mexican  Commission,  and  none  of  the  members  are 
Santa  Anna's  political  friends.  This  increases  the 
chance  of  a  favorable  result,  as  it  takes  from  Santa 
Anna  some  of  the  responsibility,  compelling  the 
friends  of  these  commissioners  to  unite  with  them  in 
whatever  course  they  may  pursue.  At  headquarters 
the  utmost  confidence  is  felt  that  a  peace  will  be  made, 
and  it  surely  will  be  if  the  Mexican  president  has  suf- 


212  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

ficient  power  to  effect  it.  The  only  fear  is  that  he 
may  not  be  able  to  overcome  all  the  factions  which  are 
and  will  be  opposed  to  him.  His  sincerity  is  suffi 
ciently  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  he  has  sent  us, 
and  is  still  sending  us,  all  the  supplies  we  require  from 
the  city.  Over  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  has 
already  been  received  and  more  is  still  to  come. 

We  have  a  rumor  that  a  mail  has  arrived  at  Puebla, 
if  so,  I  shall  soon  receive  some  of  your  delightful 
letters,  shall  again  hear  from  my  children.  I  wish  I 
could  be  certain  you  will  hear  from  me,  —  but  we  are 
tolerably  confident  the  last  letters  we  sent  from  Puebla 
were  carried  to  Santa  Anna  instead  of  to  Vera  Cruz. 

September  2.  Everything  remains  in  statu  quo  to 
day.  The  commissioners  are  in  session  and  so  far 
as  can  be  ascertained  from  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Trist 
and  Major  Van  Buren  last  evening,  after  they  had 
adjourned,  everything  is  progressing  favorably.  We 
have  many  rumors  from  the  Capital,  —  but  they  are 
so  contradictory  and  sometimes  so  absurd  that  I 
scarcely  listen  to  them.  We  are,  however,  certain 
that  Santa  Anna  has  collected  from  his  scattered 
forces  a  large  army  and  it  is  said  has  now  over  twenty 
thousand  under  arms  in  the  city,  keeping  up  a  show 
of  preparation  for  the  war,  which,  however,  gives  us 
not  the  least  uneasiness  as  we  are  confident  of  our 
ability  to  whip  them  at  any  time.  Moreover,  there 
will  be  no  necessity  of  an  assault  as  they  will  never 
suffer  the  Capital  to  be  bombarded. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  213 

I  have  said  little  of  the  Fifth  or  of  any  other  regi 
ment  in  the  fight  as  I  have  confined  my  statements 
to  such  occurrences  as  came  under  my  immediate  ob 
servation.  Colonel  Clarke  was  wounded  slightly  in 
the  early  part  of  the  action,  Mclntosh  1  succeeding 
to  the  command  of  the  brigade  and  Martin  Scott 2 
to  that  of  the  regiment.  It  was  much  broken  and  I 
am  told  never  acted  in  a  body  after  Scott  took  the 
command.  There  seems  to  be  much  ill  feeling  exist 
ing  —  hardly  a  shadow  of  harmony  left  in  the  regi 
ment.  Ruggles  claims  much  glory  for  his  conduct 
and  has  made  a  report,  which  has  gone  to  head 
quarters,  in  which  he  claims  to  have  captured  the 
first  gun  taken  at  Churubusco.  It  is  said,  and  I 
believe  with  truth,  that  the  cannon  was  a  thirty-two- 
pounder,  broken  down,  spiked,  and  abandoned  in  the 
road  by  the  enemy,  that  it  was  not  fired  and  had  been 
passed  by  many  of  our  troops  before  Ruggles  came 
up  to  it!  Such  is  glory!  McPhail,  who  is  Martin 
Scott's  toady,  is  highly  spoken  of  by  him,  but  the 
prevailing  opinion  in  the  regiment  is  that  he  behaved 
badly.  In  truth,  there  is  much  discord,  all  are  quarrel 
ing  about  the  honors,  and  I  am  thankful  that  I  am 
detached  from  the  regiment  and  have  nothing  to  do 
with  their  envious  misunderstandings.  I  keep  my 
own  counsel  and  listen  to  all  their  complaints  without 

1  Colonel  Mclntosh  killed  at  Molino  del  Rey,  September  8,  1847. 

2  Colonel  Martin  Scott  killed  at  Molino  del  Rey. 


214  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

comment.  As  far  as  I  am  myself  concerned  I  have 
nothing  to  say.  If  justice  is  not  done  me  in  the  official 
reports,  I  shall  suffer  in  silence.  I  cannot  blow  my 
own  trumpet.  I  judge  from  the  remarks  of  all  who 
speak  to  me  on  the  subject  that  I  shall  not  be  over 
looked.  It  is  said  the  generals,  too,  utterly  disagree 
in  their  reports,  each  claiming  for  their  own  commands 
the  deeds  done  by  other  troops.  How  General  Scott 
can  sift  the  truth  from  the  whole  mass  of  discrepancies 
I  cannot  conceive,  indeed,  I  am  induced  to  believe 
from  what  I  have  already  heard  that  much  injustice 
will  be  done  by  his  report.  Hints  of  its  contents  are 
constantly  leaking  out.  With  regard  to  one  person 
there  is  no  disagreement;  all  unite  in  the  opinion  that 
our  chaplain,  McCarty,  deserves  a  wreath.  He  was 
under  fire  during  the  battle,  pressing  forward  among 
the  combatants,  encouraging  and  exhorting  all  to 
deeds  of  gallantry,  and  it  has  been  proposed  that  he 
be  made  a  Brevet  Bishop! 

I  do  not  yet  see  any  prospect  of  a  safe  mail  to  Vera 
Cruz,  and  I  shall  not  send  this  until  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  that  it  will  not  be  captured,  for  rude  as  these 
memoranda  are,  they  will  interest  you,  and  be  a  valu 
able  reference  for  me  in  the  future.  Lieutenant  Dent, 
on  my  application,  has  been  today  temporarily  as 
signed  to  my  company,  and  will  have  the  military 
command  of  it  for  the  present.  Sergeants  Updegraff 
and  Archer  have  both  been  recommended  for  com- 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  215 

missions.  Updegraff  will  make  a  good  officer  and  is 
a  gentleman.  The  other  I  did  not  recommend,  though 
he  is  a  brave,  honest  man.  Little  Barney  is  quite 
sick,  so  I  lose  my  cook,  laundress,  and  servant,  my 
"  Caleb  Quotem."  I  do  not  know  what  I  shall  do 
without  him.  By  the  bye,  he  desires  that  his  respects 
be  presented  to  "  my  lady,"  with  assurances  that 
there  is  plenty  of  "  mustard  "  and  that  he  will  take 
care  of  the  "  captain."  The  market  here  is  bad  and 
everything  horribly  dear.  ...  It  has  cost  me  one 
dollar  a  day  for  provisions  since  my  arrival.  We  hear 
that  everything  is  quite  cheap  in  the  city  but  the  mar 
ket  men  are  all  in  a  combination  to  cheat  the  Yankees, 
and  our  generals  do  not  establish  any  market  tariff  as 
we  all  think  they  ought  so  we  are  compelled  to  submit 
or  starve. 

September  7.  Since  the  second,  until  yesterday, 
nothing  occurred  worthy  of  note,  though  I  thought 
there  were  abundant  signs  that  Santa  Anna  was  only 
"  humbugging  "  us,  indeed,  as  my  journal  shows,  I 
have  thought  from  the  beginning  that  it  was  only  a 
scheme  on  his  part  to  keep  us  out  of  the  city  and  to 
gain  time.  It  truly  seemed  wonderful  to  me  that  in 
the  truce  the  immediate  surrender  of  Chapultepec, 
Mexicalingo,  and  El  Penon  was  not  demanded  —  it 
could  not  have  been  refused;  the  city  itself  must  at 
once  have  given  up ;  they  could  not  for  some  days  after 
the  battle  of  the  twentieth  have  made  any  resistance. 


216  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

On  the  fifth  it  began  to  be  rumored  that  the  proffers 
made  by  Mr.  Trist  were  rejected  and  the  treaty  vio 
lated;  in  fact,  a  week  before  that  time  I  reported 
in  writing  to  General  Scott,  as  I  thought  on  sufficient 
evidence,  that  the  enemy  were  violating  the  armistice 
by  erecting  and  increasing  their  fortifications.  But 
the  general  pronounced  my  informant,  who  was  a  resi 
dent  of  the  city,  a  "  liar."  On  the  evening  of  the  sixth, 
however,  General  Scott  declared  the  truce  terminated 
in  consequence  of  the  frequent  violations  of  its  articles 
by  Santa  Anna.  We  are  now  no  more  advanced  than 
we  were  previous  to  the  battle  of  the  twentieth  last. 
In  the  sixteen  days  during  which  he  has  been  flattering 
us  with  the  hopes  of  peace  he  has  been  actively  col 
lecting  his  scattered  forces,  and  with  all  his  energies 
preparing  to  renew  the  combat.  He  has  now  twenty- 
two  thousand  men  under  arms  and  the  Capital  placed 
in  such  a  state  of  defence  that  the  enemy  loudly  boasts 
we  cannot  take  it.  Fatal  credulity!  How  awful  are 
its  consequences  to  us !  By  it,  the  fruits  of  our  glori 
ous  and  incomparable  victory  are  entirely  thrown 
away.  In  the  sixteen  days  our  provisions  and  forage 
have  been  almost  entirely  exhausted;  eight  hundred 
of  our  men  are  sick,  which  added  to  about  the  same 
number  put  hors  de  combat  by  death  and  wounds 
leaves  us  nearly  two  thousand  weaker  than  we  were 
on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth  ultimo,  and  now, 
alas,  we  have  all  our  fighting  to  do  over  again. 


TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT  217 

In  my  opinion  a  much  bloodier  battle  is  to  be  fought 
than  any  which  have  preceded  it.  When  will  our 
rulers  learn  wisdom!  How  many  times  must  they 
be  gulled  and  deceived  before  they  will  learn  to  treat 
all  Mexican  promises  with  scorn!  This  morning  a 
heavy  column  of  the  enemy  were  seen  marching  from 
the  city  by  Chapultepec.  Their  right  was  established 
at  a  large  building,  said  to  be  a  foundry,  something 
more  than  a  mile  from  Chapultepec,  and  their  left 
resting  on  that  strong  fortification.  Their  line  is 
along  an  aqueduct  and  a  deep  ditch  covered  by  bushes 
and  trees  bordering  an  extensive  pasture  and  grain 
field  —  an  extremely  strong  position. 

I  have  just  learned  that  the  plan  of  attack  is 
arranged.  A  forlorn  hope  of  five  hundred  men  com 
manded  by  Major  G.  Wright  is  to  carry  the  foundry 
and  blow  it  up.  At  the  same  time  an  attack  from  our 
artillery,  the  rest  of  the  first  division  and  Cad- 
walader's  Brigade  is  to  be  made  upon  their  line  and 
Chapultepec,  our  battalion  forming  the  reserve.  This 
operation  is  to  commence  at  three  in  the  morning. 
Tomorrow  will  be  a  day  of  slaughter.  I  firmly  trust 
and  pray  that  victory  may  crown  our  efforts  though 
the  odds  are  immense. 

I  am  thankful  that  you  do  not  know  the  peril  we 
are  in.  Good  night. 

The  writer  fell  mortally  wounded  early  the  next  morn- 


2i8  TO  MEXICO  WITH  SCOTT 

In  this  the  hardest  contested  battle  of  the  whole  war  the 
aggregate  of  the  American  troops  upon  the  field,  before  Pillow's 
arrival  at  San  Borja,  was  but  3,447.  That  this  small  force 
attacked  and  drove  the  enemy,  at  least  10,000  strong  (exclusive 
of  Alvarez's  forces),  from  his  formidable  positions  and  entrench 
ments,  captured  four  pieces  of  artillery  and  near  eight  hundred 
prisoners,  and,  principally  by  the  use  of  the  musket,  without 
material  assistance  from  heavy  artillery  is  most  astonishing. 
In  view  of  it,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  as  a  feat  of  arms  the 
battle  of  Molino  del  Rey  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  a 
war  full  of  brilliant  achievements.  The  War  with  Mexico,  Vol. 
II,  pp.  284-285,  by  R.  S.  Ripley. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Acajete,  161. 

Agotla,  193. 

Agua  Duke,  24. 

Agua  Frio,  141. 

Agua  Largo,  89. 

Agua  Negra,  87. 

Agua  Nueva,  in. 

Alburtis,  Captain,  116,  124. 

Alton,  Illinois,  58,  59. 

Alvarado,  117,  131. 

Alvarez,  General,  191,  218. 

Amozoque,  162,  163. 

Ampudia,  General,  35,  37,  38,  63. 

Anton  Lizardo,  107,  109,  no. 

Aqua  Freato,  189. 

Aransas,  17. 

Archer,  Sergeant,  214. 

Arista,  General,  38,  52,  54,  55,  99. 

Arroyo  Colorado,  29,  31. 

Arroyo  Mujares,  88. 

Bankhead,  Mr.,  181. 

Barbour,  Major,  63,  65,  75. 

"  Barney,"  150,  215. 

Beaman,  Lieut.,  13. 

Belton,  Major,  57,  123,  129,  153, 

*57- 

Berry,  Lieut.,  18. 
Black,  Mr.,  53. 
Boca  Chico,  101. 
Boca  del  Rio  Grande,  100,  101. 
Borland,  Major,  98. 


Brasos  Santiago,   21,  62,  95,  99, 

101,  102. 

Brooke,  General,  13,  15. 
Buena  Vista,  7,  in,  125,  152,  193, 

199. 
Buffalo,  58. 

Cadwalader,  General,  179,  217. 

Cairo,  Illinois,  15,  59,  60. 

Callender,  Mr.,  199. 

Camargo,  57,  63,  84,  89,  91,  101. 

Canalizo,  General,  154. 

Carrista,  88. 

Cerralvo,  66,  88. 

Cerro  Gordo,  7,  8,  134,  136,  137, 

140, 141, 144, 152-154, 158,  160. 
Chadbourne,  Lieut.,  52. 
Chalco,  Lake,  193,  194,  195,  210. 
Chapultepec,  215,  217. 
Chicago,  58. 
Childs,  Lieut.  Colonel,  52,  84,  95, 

189. 

Cholula,  171,  189. 
Churchill,  Lieut.,  47. 
Churubusco,  200,  213. 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  4,  13,  14. 
Clarke,  Colonel  N.  S.,  97, 159,  191, 

213. 

Clay,  Cassius  M.,  97. 
Cochrane,  Lieut.,  52. 
Columbus,  Christopher,  109. 
Connor,  Commodore,  118,  124. 


222 


INDEX 


Contreras,  198,  208. 

Cordova,  192. 

Corpus  Christi,  8,  14,  16,  17,  20, 

22,  24,  33,  39. 
Cortes,  Hernando,  137,  138,  139, 

142,  192. 

Coz,  General,  102. 
Cross,  Colonel  Truman,  38,  39. 
Grossman,  Captain,  18. 

Deas,  Lieut.,  13,  38. 

Dent,  Lieut.,  214. 

De  Renssy,  Colonel,  100,  102. 

Dickinson,  Lieut.  Colonel,  117. 

El  Penal,  159,  161. 

El  Penon,  192-194,  215. 

Encarnacion,  98. 

Farrelly,  Lieut,  102, 150, 151,  202, 

203. 

Farrias,  Gomez,  144,  158,  175. 
Field,  Captain,  63. 
Filisola's  Wells,  Texas,  22,  27. 
Flores,  Don  Ramoon,  82. 
Fort  Concepcion,  129. 
Fort  Lorretto,  171. 
Fort  St.  lago,  128,  129. 
Fox  River,  21. 
Franklin,  Lieut.,  83. 
Furlong,  General,  174. 

Gaines,  General,  14. 
Gaines,  Major,  98. 
Garland,  Colonel,  99,  150,  153. 
Gates,  Lieut.,  52. 
Gillespie,  Captain,  74. 
Gordon,  Lieut.,  18. 


Graham,  Captain,  99,  153,  203. 

Guadalupe,  193. 

Gulf  of  Mexico,  17,  24,  100,  108. 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  194. 

Hamilton,  Schuyler,  193. 

Hanson,  Captain,  199. 

Hardee,  Captain,  39,  40,  41,  42. 

Harney,  Colonel,  123. 

Hartford,  Connecticut,  153. 

Harvey,  Colonel,  101. 

Hazlett,  Lieut.,  63. 

Herrera,  de,  Jose  Joaquin,  171, 175. 

Higgins,  Lieut.,  18. 

Hitchcock,  Colonel,  127,  175,  208, 

209. 

Hoffman,  Captain,  198. 
Haskins,  Lieut.,  63. 
Hove,  Captain,  46,  52,  54. 

Inge,  Lieut.,  52. 
Irwin,  Lieut.,  63. 

Jalapa,  4,  134,  136-140,  156,  172. 
Johnson,  W.  R.,  150. 
Johnston,  Lieut.  J.  P.,  199. 
Jordan,  Lieut.,  52. 

Kane,  Lieut.,  39. 
Kearney,  Captain,  203. 
Kelly,  Mrs.,  16. 
Kintaro,  Colonel,  29. 
Kirby,  Ephraim,  3,  130,  143,  144, 
156- 

La  Hoya,  141,  179,  184. 
La  Vega,  General,  46. 
Lear,  Major,  71,  75. 


INDEX 


223 


Litchfield,  Connecticut,  3. 
Lobos,  100,  105,  107. 
Los  Muertes,  86. 
Lundy's  Lane,  4. 

McCall,  Captain,  50. 
McCarty,  Chaplain,  9,  145,  214. 
Mclntosh,  Colonel,  46,  52,  54, 182, 

183,  213. 

McKavett,  Captain,  63,  75. 
McKee,  Tim,  76. 
McKenzie,  Captain,  153. 
McPhail,  Mr.,  213. 
McReynolds,  Captain,  203. 
Marcy,  Randolph  B.,  13. 
Marina,  66,  67,  87. 
Mason,  Lieut.,  26,  39,  42,  196. 
Matamoras,  6,  19,  31-35,  39,  42, 

44,  47,  50-57,  9i- 
May,  Colonel,  51. 
Mayo,  Captain,  131. 
Mejia,  General,  30,  34,  38. 
Mier,  66,  89,  147. 
Merrill,  Major,  22,99, 101,104, 177. 
Meyers,  Lieut.,  108. 
Mexicalingo,  193,  215. 
Mexico,  City  of,  8,  138,  141,  146, 

148,  158,  160,  170,  172-174,  177, 

180, 182,  190,  191,  192, 194,  196, 

197,  200,  203. 

Miller,  Adam,  88. 
Mills,  Major,  203. 
Mitre  Mountains,  68,  74. 
Molino  del  Rey,  4,  9,  177,  218. 
Monclova,  72. 

Monterey,  7,  55,  59,  62,  64,  65,  68, 
72,  74,  77,  86,  87,  101,  152,  156. 


Montgomery,  Major,  198. 
Morales,  Governor,  123. 
Morris,  Captain  L.  N.,  63,  75. 
Morrison,  Captain,  18. 

Natchez,  Mississippi,  15. 

Neal,  Lieut.,  126. 

New  England,  139. 

New  Leon,  86. 

New  Orleans,  13, 15, 17, 19,  59, 61, 

62,  107. 

Newport,  Kentucky,  14. 
New  York,  141. 
Nopalucam,  160. 
Norvell,  182. 
Nueces  River,  18,  21,  23,  81. 

Ojo  de  Agua,  159,  187. 

Orizaba,  Peak  of,  4,  5,  no,  139, 

140,  142,  157,  169. 
Oswego,  145. 

Page,  Captain  John,  45,  49. 

Palapa,  194. 

Palo  Alto,  8,  45,  49,  56, 93, 97, 155. 

Papa  Gallas,  88. 

Parras,  83. 

Paredes,  General,  13,  59. 

Patten,  Poet,  136. 

Patterson,  General,  64,  76,  112. 

Payne,  Colonel,  52,  54. 

Peck,  Lieut.,  177. 

Peoria,  Illinois,  58. 

Perote,  133, 138, 141,  143-145, 148, 

153,  181,  184. 
Perry,  Commodore,  125. 
Peru,  Illinois,  58. 


224 


INDEX 


Pierce,  General,  183,  184. 
Pillow,  General,  7,  112,  179,  181, 

218. 

Plan  del  Rio,  136. 
Plympton,  Colonel,  107,  116,  206. 
Point  Isabel,  32,  44,  45,  62,  103. 
Popocatepetl,  141,  157,  169,  189, 

210,  211. 
Puebla,   4-6,    144,    152-164,    174, 

177,  183,  184,  189,  191,  212. 
Punta  Aguada,  66,  88. 
Puente  Moreno,  126. 
Puente  Nacional,  135. 

Quitman,  General,  188,  191,  192. 

Ramas,  87. 

Reynosa,  57. 

Rejou,  Senor,  144,  158,  175. 

Resaca  de  la  Palma,  45,  56,  155. 

Riconada,  86. 

Ridgely,  Captain,  49,  50,  71. 

Riley,  Colonel,  62. 

Riley,  Corporal,  99. 

Ringgold,  Major,  45,  49. 

Rio  Frio,  191,  192. 

Rio  Grande,  6,  19-21,  32,  33,  56, 

65,  89,  99, 

Ritchie,  Lieut.,  95,  98. 
Rossell,  Lieut.,  16, 65,  85, 101, 119, 

15°,  !56. 
Roth,  Mrs.,  17. 
Ruff,  Captain,  187. 
Ruggles,  Captain,  104,  129,  213. 

Sacrificio,  107,  no,  113. 
Saddle  Mountain,  68,  74. 


St.  Augustine,  54,  69, 194, 195, 196. 
St.  Joseph's  Island,  17. 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  58. 
Saltillo,  64,  71,  74,  76,  77,  81,  84, 

87,  90,  95- 

San  Antonio,  147,  149,  196-200. 

San  Borja,  218. 

San  Fernando,  26. 

San  Francisco,  Mexico,  87. 

San  Gertrude  River,  25. 

San  Gregorio,  195. 

San  Jacinto,  27. 

San  Juan,  98,  107-113,  123,  131, 
154,  187. 

San  Juan  River,  64,  69,  74,  83,  85, 
87. 

San  Juan  D'Ulloa,  90,  129,  155. 

San  Luis  Potosi,  71,  76,  80. 

San  Martin,  190,  191. 

San  Magdalene,  198. 

San  Miguel,  139,  170. 

San  Pablo,  200. 

Santa  Anna,  General,  27,  59,  71, 
76,  77,  80,  98,  99,  in,  132,  134, 
135,  137,  161,  163,  166,  170,  173, 
174,  183,  190,  195,  196,  205,  207, 

212,   215,  2l6. 

Santa  FC",  Mexico,  134,  151. 

Scott,  General  Winfield,  4,  57,  84, 
9°,  9i,  95,  99,  105-108,  112,  127, 
132,  146,  172,  174,  177,  180-184, 
188,  193,  205,  207,  214,  216. 

Scott,  Major,  101,  104,  113,  120, 
124,  129,  130,  149,  155,  156, 
213- 

Shields,  General,  192. 

Sibley,  Major,  21. 


INDEX 


225 


Sierra  Madre,  64. 

Smith,  C.  F.,  8, 30, 31,  50, 115, 119, 

144,  150,  152,  167, 187,  190,  192, 

202. 
Smith,  Edmund  Kirby  (brother), 

4,  36,  46,  52,  67,  107,  116,  120, 

179,  206. 
Smith,  Edmund  Kirby  (uncle),  72, 

106,  in,  125,  174,  175,  188,  196, 

205,  206. 
Smith,  Ephraim  Kirby,  3,  4,  5,  7, 

9,  57- 

Smith,  General  P.,  184. 
Smith,  Joseph  Lee,  3. 
Smith,  Joseph  Lee  Kirby,  55. 
Smith,  Major  Larkin,  196. 
Soldado,  Fort,  86. 
Stamford,  Major,  27,  84. 
Stevenson,  Lieut.,  182. 
Sumner,  Major,  127. 

Tacubaya,  209-221. 

Tampico,  106. 

Taylor,  General,  8,  20,  25,  29,  34, 

38,  38,  54,  71-76,  83,  95,  in, 

120,  152. 
Thompson,  Captain,   17,   41,  43, 

157,  197- 

Tipi  Gualco,  147,  149. 
Treato,  Don  Jesus,  67. 
Trist,  Mr.  N.  P.,  10,  180,  206,  207, 

212,  2l6. 

Trowbridge,  Mr.,  151. 
Twiggs,   General,    116,    171,    172, 
174,  188,  198. 

Updegraff,  Sergeant,  214. 


Van  Buren,  A.,  206,  212. 

Vegas,  General,  34. 

Vera  Cruz,  8,  92,  93,  95,  98,  106, 
109-111, 118, 120, 123, 129, 131- 
134,  138,  144,  151,  152,  173, 
176,  178,  179,  182,  183,  191,  212, 
214. 

Vereyes,  157. 

Volcano  de  Puebla,  169. 

Victoria,  83. 

Villa  Rosa,  98. 

Vinton,  Captain  John  R.,  124. 

Walker,  Captain,  44,  119. 
Walnut,  Springs,  75,  87. 
Washington,  Camp,  113,  121,  126, 

128,  129. 

Washington,  City  of,  39,  79,  129. 
Webster,  Lieut.  Col.  Lucien  B., 

in,  125. 

Weeks,  Captain  N.  G.,  104. 
West  Point,  55. 

Whipple,  Captain,  13,  181,  182. 
White,  Captain,  61. 
Williams,  Tom,  192. 
Winnebago,  Lake,  21. 
Wood,  Dr.,  13,  103. 
Wood,  Lieut.,  63. 
Wool,  General,  72,  83. 
Worth,  General,  24,  30,  34,  63,  67- 

70,  76,  86,  in,  112,  116,  118, 

130,  133,  143,  156,  164,  167,  171, 

188,  191,  199. 
Wright,  Dr.,  189. 
Wright,  Major,  148,  217. 

Xochimilco,  Lake,  194,  195. 


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